“Being ready to ‘break through the roof’ of all adversities, to experience the God of blessings pouring down Graces!”

(Based on Isa 35:1-10 and Lk 5:17-26 – Monday of the 2nd Week in Advent)

An elderly person – a Christian – who had gone through many difficulties, but held on to faith…
… was addressing a group of youngsters:
“Never get discouraged in life!
Never lose hope in life!

And yes, always remember, God can pour down His Blessings, even by breaking open the roofs of your struggles!”

Are we ready to trust in the “God Who pours down His Blessings, even through broken roofs?”

The Gospel of the Day gives a similar scene of “The roof being torn open!”

Our Blessed Lord is engaged in His ministry of teaching (Lk 5: 17)

This is something that we can all learn from!

The Lord…
… though quite popular as a miracle worker
… though very admired for his mighty deeds of healing
Always gave a great priority to the “ministry of teaching”

He would always make it a point to “teach” people

Very often, in our lives (especially those engaged in various Church ministries)…
… we neglect the aspect of teaching

We tend to run after works and ministries that are more sensational, popular and “glamorous!”

This verse of the Gospel is a challenge for us to renew our commitment to the “ministry of teaching”…
… about the Kingdom of God
… about ways to lead a Holy Life by prioritizing God above all
… about understanding the true meaning of God’s commandments

As Jesus is engaged in this “ministry of teaching”…
… a great number of Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem (Lk 5:17)

The house was fully packed…
… with people cramming to hear the Lord
…brimming with persons seeking His healing

It was then that a group of people brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed (Lk 5: 18)

They came with much expectation to see the paralysed man, whole and well again.

But as they approached the house… their hopes would have gone down!

The thick crowd of people would have slimmed their hopes!

But it is when the chips are down, that one is given a chance to find strength one never knew one had…
… and put it toward the greater good.

The people came seeking for blessings…

But it seemed, that the firmament was closed to shower down blessings!

But then they had a hope… “God can pour down His Blessings, even by breaking open the roofs of your struggles!”

And so they decided “to tear open the roof!”

“But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus” (Lk 5: 19)

“Opened up the roof” has other translations…
… “dug a hole through the roof”
…“removed part of the roof”
… “uncovered the roof”

We would perhaps think the roof was some primitive, thatched roof.

But most likely, that was not the case…

As per the architecture then, this roof was more than likely a mud clay roof with tiles

To lower the paralyzed man through the roof, they literally had to do a major demolition of the roof.

Well… picture this…

You’re in this packed house – people crammed to the max…trying to listen to Jesus.

All of a sudden you start to hear some banging on the roof.

These people would have literally tore the tiles off the roof, made a hole & lowered the paralyzed man by a rope into the house.

Then the roof materials begins to fall on you!

Well… imagine also the people’s responses…

They would have been astonished, amazed and some even angered!

They were there to listen to Jesus….they had come early…they had won their spot…

They were perhaps hearing their life-transforming sermon!

It’s at this point, that the “roof starts tearing down!”

But Jesus, the God of blessings, is immensely pleased and edified by their faith and trust!

Their “tearing of the roof”…
… was blessed by “pouring down of blessings”
… was rewarded with a “cleansing of sins”.

Many times, we too face similar barriers and blockages in our experience for the Lord.

Are we willing to “break through the roof”…
… of discouragements, disappointments and distresses?
… of ‘end-of-the-road’ feelings and ‘hopeless situations’?
… of problems which seem impossible and unsolvable?

Hardships and challenges will often stare on our face…

But let us have the grit and the guts to trust in “God Who pours down His Blessings, even through broken roofs!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON – THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES

The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy
Charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence;

It fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion. (CCC # 1829)