From the Back Pew... Bring Him Your Tired and Poor

Today's Readings

"They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men." Mark 2:3

"From the Back Pew" is an infrequent, but dedicated series of GregBlogposts from the back pew of my chapel.  These are usually thoughts that occur during Eucharistic Adoration, and today I am struck by the following element of Truth: If we don't bring the sick, the tired, and the poor to Christ, who will?

In the Gospel read at today's Mass, Jesus' our healer, is confronted with the opportunity to heal a man paralyzed.  Moved with compassion at the man's faith, and that of his friends, Jesus does heal him. (Read the whole story)

What strikes me today in the back pew, staring into the face of Christ, wondering about things, is that none of this is possible without the four friends that bring him!  Today's celebrant at Mass offered up the challenge that we too must be willing to bring those in need to the Lord.  While this is not an surprising part of the truth, it is something that we must dedicate ourselves to on a regular basis.

So it is fitting that today's message from the back pew is to simply PRAY!  Pray for those who need Christ's healing touch.  Pray for those who need a little relief.  Pray for those who need help, especially the poor!

Interestingly, Father ended with the stinging question, "Do we have those kind of friends in our life?" 

Hmmm... I hope so!