A reading from Luke…
One day, while Jesus was teaching,
Pharisee and teachers of the law were sitting nearby
(They had come from every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem);
And the power of God was with him to heal.
Just then some people came,
Carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. (Luke 5:17-18a, NRSV)
We do not have the strength to come to God.
We are weary, afraid, and heavy laden.
We are paralyzed and powerless.
We need faithful friends or family members
To carry us into the arms of hope.
Sometimes we are those friends,
Carrying one whom we love into God’s presence.
This is healing:
We who are paralyzed, broken and afraid,
Are carried by others into the presence of God,
Who welcomes and receives us in Christ Jesus
From: Holden Prayer Around the Cross: Handbook to the Liturgy. Susan Briehl and Tom Witt, p 105-106. Augsburg Fortress 2009.
Prayer: Merciful God, send me people to bring me into your healing presence. Send me people whom I can bring into your healing presence. Amen