“Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”” (Mark 2:3-5)

Sometimes we get paralyzed – physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially. When were not able to move. And because of this, we can’t see God, just like the man outside the house. Faith is like a window. On our own the window is small.

But when someone prays for you, and you put your two windows together, the window becomes bigger. And when another person joins in, the window gets even bigger. And before you know it, you can see Jesus already. Not just see him, but like four friends of the paralyzed man, they made a hole so that the man can see and actually touch Jesus. They carried him to the Lord. That’s what prayer partners do. They help you see and experience Jesus when you can’t do it on your own.

Have you ever tried helping someone who fell or who slipped? They say we Filipinos have a different way of helping our friends who stumble, compared to other countries who immediately asks “Are you ok?” we do it in two levels.

First we laugh our lungs out, make sure he or she knows that something funny happened to them, then in the end, we help them get up. In other words, sometimes we all need help.

In the readings, four men carried someone who needed help, a sick, paralyzed man. They brought the man to Jesus and asked for him to be healed.

Today we continue to carry people and bring them to Jesus. How? Through prayer! Every time a friend asked you to pray for him, we carry their sickness, their paralyzed dreams, twisted family relationships, and bring them in front of Jesus and ask Him “Lord please heal my friend”.

In other words, we need each other!

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by a one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. – 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

It means we all have something in common, we are all created by one God, WE ARE ALL CONNECTED.

We Are All Connected

The Body revolution story: (Body parts arguing who is the most important part of the body. Butt being bullied. Labeled as not important, it declared a function strike. Then the entire body suffers.)

Have you ever heard someone fart, or worst felt it, experienced it and thanked God for it saying “Halleluia for this wonderful oxygen ionizer! I am blessed!”

When my friend’s mom was hospitalized for two days, they texted family and friends and asked to start a prayer brigade. They specifically asked for one thing: for her mom to fart.

It was crazy! But when they explained it to us, they said that it was one of the major signs that her organs are starting to function, and she can already start to eat and drink something.

It was so important that every day they prayed for it, waited, listened, smelled. And when it happened, they cried and praised God.

And we celebrated with them.

We Are Connected with Nature

Everything God created in nature is connected with us.

A boy was sad because his crush never noticed him, and when he tried to express his feelings, he was dumped. So he went home crying, sat on his favorite tree and started to pour everything to the tree. The tree then said, “It’s okay, my young friend; Soon, life will give you what is due for you.” The young boy looked at the tree, his eyes got bigger, then started to run and shout “Wah!!! Yung puno, nagsasalita!”

If only nature can speak, they can tell us that all the vitamins and minerals that our body needs, they can provide… fruits and vegetables. One friend even told me to always sit beside a tree when one is tired, and exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with it.

We are connected.

We Are Connected with People

We are all connected, because we are all created by one loving God.

Why I am talking about connection? Because that same connection, used in prayer, is called intercession. Intercession is praying for others.

Prayers unlock God’s promises to us, and praying for others helps to unlock God’s promises for them.

““Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19-20)

Friend, pray for someone’s intentions today.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez