When we gather together for worship we usually address ourselves as “brothers and sisters in Christ.” In most cases this has become an empty phrase without any practical meaning. How can we claim to be brothers and sisters when we can’t even relate to one another as friends? A certain immigrant, new in town, attended a neighbourhood church for years without making any new acquaintances. As soon as service is over worshippers would gather in small familiar groups and exchange pleasantries with old friends and nobody ever seemed to notice him. So one day he decides to go to church wearing his baseball cap. As soon as he took his lonely seat at the back of the church the usher comes to him and says, “Brother, we don’t wear caps in church here.” “Thanks,” he replies but does not remove his cap. During communion he goes up for communion and the deacon pulls him aside and gently says to him, “My brother, wearing of caps is forbidden in our church.” “Thanks,” he replies but does not take off his cap. After service the priest who is shaking hands with worshippers greets him very well for the first time and then courteously adds, “But, my dear brother, wearing of caps in church is not allowed.” “I know,” says the man, “but I have been coming to this church for two years now and no one ever seems to notice me.” Isn’t it interesting that everyone who addressed our young man that day addressed him as “brother.” But the poor man was dying of loneliness in a crowd of “brothers and sisters.” The point this man was trying to make also comes through in today’s gospel, namely, that it is not enough for Christians who worship together to call themselves brothers and sisters in name; they must also show themselves to be friends in deed. The event described in today’s gospel, the healing of the paralysed man, took place in Peter’s house in Capernaum. From early church history and archaeology we know that the house of Peter became one of the first Christian house churches. The early Christian readers of Mark’s Gospel knew this, so they would probably read the story as something happening within the setting of a church. The huge crowd that gathered around the house would represent worshippers, each one seeking to obtain one blessing or the other from Jesus. But in their preoccupation with their own personal needs they became insensitive to the needs of someone who was in even greater need than themselves, the paralytic. The paralysed man was forgotten in their rush and struggle to get the attention of Jesus. After worship they would pass by him and drop a coin and say, “God bless you, brother.” The twist in the story occurs when four friendly men in the congregation give up their seats in the congregation and go out to attend to the needs of the paralysed man lying by the sidewalk. His need, like that of any other worshipper in the congregation that day was to get close to Jesus and receive his blessing. These four “friends” realised that this disabled man should have the priority because his needs were greater. The congregation, in their insensitivity, impede their plan to bring the paralysed man lying on a stretcher to the forefront where Jesus would notice him. But where there is a will there is a way, even if it meant un-roofing the church. And that is precisely what they do. “When Jesus saw their faith…” – the faith of his friends not that of the paralysed man – he healed the paralysed man, soul and body. One may then ask, which group proved themselves to be brothers and sisters to the paralysed man? His fellow worshippers who called themselves brothers and sisters? No. It was the four men who identified themselves as his friends. Sure enough, God has called us to be brothers and sisters in the church. But it might be more realistic for us to aim at first being friends with one another. How many people would you identify as your “friends” out of all the “brothers and sisters” who worship with you in this church? Do you know them by name? Do you know what their critical needs are: whether they need a job or someone to help them complete their immigration forms. A friend in need is a friend indeed. This is what we should become before we call ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ.