For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord. — Psalm 89:2

Mass Readings: 1 Samuel 8:4-7,10-22 / Mark 2:1-12 

Faith and Friendship 

Today’s Gospel brings us a heart-warming story of faith and friendship. Imagine this headline: “Break-in during Bible Study: Four Friends Enter Through Roof!” Four men go to extraordinary lengths to bring their needy friend to Jesus. By their bold, risky, creative, and completely unorthodox actions, this quartet demonstrate both a red-hot faith in Jesus and a red-hot loyalty toward their friend. Theirs was a faith that would not give up, a love that would not let go. 

How do we rate against such heights of faith, such depths of friendship? Do we take risks to bring our needy friends to Jesus? Not by breaking into someone’s house, but perhaps by “intruding” on their privacy and daring to talk about Jesus? Not by poking our nose in, but by getting our heart involved in someone’s life? 

Prayer: Friend-of-Sinners, grant me wisdom and courage to be a faithful and faith-filled friend.