Working as a Team

My grandson's Little League team lost a playoff game in the Statewide championships yesterday, but it was not a sad occasion.

What was so memorable about this year was how well the team performed as a team, supporting each other through the bad as well as the good.

Usually a team has one or two stars who are the best hitters, fielders, pitchers, runners, but I would be hard pressed to tell you which deserve greater accolades than the others.  In one game, six members of the team hit home runs.

Even in yesterday's game, when they were down by ten runs, they rallied and gained back four before losing, making the last inning as exciting as any we had seen.

And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. - Mark 2:4

In today's Gospel reading from Mark, we see an example of friends helping a friend, teaming up to get an impossible task done, bringing a paralytic to Jesus even though the crowd was blocking the entrance.

Would I do that?

Probably not.

I would be the guy advising my friends about how foolish and destructive an idea it was, to tear apart someone's roof to lower someone into the room.

You would think friends would do anything for each other, but when it comes to helping a friend in need, that part of me that concerns itself with right and wrong imposes limits, telling me there is a barrier I mustn't cross.

The reward the men got for destroying property to help their friend was huge.  Jesus told them their sins were forgiven and the paralytic was cured.

Not bad.  They were praised for their faith.  Not for breaking the rules.

They believed so strongly that Jesus could help their friend, they risked everything to get him there.

That is impressive and it is true friendship.

Could I overcome my self imposed limits and follow my faith that way?

I don't know.  I much prefer staying within the rules,, and that could be good and bad.

More to come...


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