Imago Gospels - 26 - Roof
I love the story of the group of people making the hole in the roof and lowering one their friends down in front of Jesus. Their friend was paralyzed and they dug through someone’s roof in order to get their friend before Jesus. Its a beautiful story (even if you were the one whose roof was dug through) and one that reflects the deep power that Jesus had not only over things of health, but of his authority as the Messiah. As I read the passage this morning, I looked up at the roof of the guest house in which we were staying and this picture is a zoomed in shot of it. In the place we were staying, it was only for decor (it was not the only roof), but it got me thinking of how hard it would be to do that - there’s a ton these friends had to do to get their buddy down to Jesus - not only getting him and themselves up there, but digging the hole, and rigging some kind of contraption to safely lower him in before Jesus. There’s a woman whose music I have really called in love with the last few months - her name is Amanda Opelt and she made an album called “Seven Songs” that goes along with her sister’s book, Searching for Sunday (by Rachel Held Evans). The song tied to the 6th Sacrament - Anointing the Sick - is entitled Roof and has the following lyrics -
You got a home in gloryland, you got a home in gloryland You got a home in glory and nobody doubts But death gonna come and pay a visit, death gonna come and pay a visit Death gonna come a calling, cast his shadow down But give me a roof to cut through and I'll cut through, I'll cut through it for you Give me a roof to cut through and I'll cut through, I'll cut through it for you There once was a Man from Nazareth, every little word He breathed was blessed Every time He spoke, the crowds would press and push in round But nothing's gonna stop us tonight, your lover she's been begging for an honest fight She's been digging at the roof with all her might, she's gonna lower you down So give her a roof to cut through and she'll cut through, she'll cut through it for you Give me a roof to cut through and I'll cut through, I'll cut through it for you Do Lord, oh do Lord, oh do remember me When You come in Your glory, when You come in Your glory Will we stand there with our eyes closed, still afraid to hope
To me, she really captures the sense of digging through the roof for a friend and how our actions can contribute to the healing of others.