Fridays with Jesus

Episode 25

In a plane crash, there were three men who died: a politician, a businessman, and a millennial. At the gates of heaven, St. Peter met the three men and told them that each of them will receive keys to enter heaven based on how helpful they were when they were still alive. St. Peter gave the politician a plastic key and the businessman a key made out of barbed wire. Filled with wonder, the millennial spoke to St. Peter, "Where is my key?" Then St. Peter replied, "Oh! Didn't I tell you that the key is in your Facebook?"

Helping is always multifaceted because there are many reasons why people do it. The act of help is sometimes inspired by a thirst for fame or a hunger for proliferation of power. But what if the help we extend do not anymore boost our ego and power? What if it is too difficult to extend our help? What if our helping efforts put us to sufferings or even death? What do we do?

In today's gospel episode, we encounter four men carrying the paralytic. It was difficult for the four men to facilitate help to the paralytic due to the pressing crowd. In fact, they have to tear hole in the roof of the house just to bring the paralytic to Jesus. The help of the four men was definitely not for fame because the four men gave the limelight to the ailing person. The kind gesture of the gentlemen was not also for the proliferation of power because they would rather help somebody who is able that can be used for their business instead of wasting time with a person with disability. Further, the four men helped because they are genuine friends who would like their friend to be closer to Jesus and receive the healing that their friend is longing for.

May we become genuine friends who will carry our paralyzed friends at the foot of Jesus. Amen.

TGIFY-Reflection #25
(Thank God It's Fri Yey!)
January 17, 2020