Clearing the Path
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a couple of deep breaths, and allow yourself to be present in this moment.
Consider the many roads we travel each day and the hard work that was needed to clear those paths.
“The one argument for accessibility that doesn’t get made nearly often enough is how extraordinarily better it makes some people’s lives. How many opportunities do we have to dramatically improve people’s lives just by doing our job a little better?”
- Steve Krug
Mark 2:1-4
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 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.
Food for Thought
Recently, I was given the task to refurbish and beautify our local school garden, a place where one could spend time in nature and learn about growing vegetables. We repaired the flower beds, planted new crops, and built two new picnic tables – one standard table and one table built to be handicap-accessible. We felt proud of our accomplishments. But then, we realized that our task was only half complete. Although the picnic tables were fully accessible to visitors, the paths to get to the tables were not. It did not matter that we had a handicap-accessible table because no one who would need to use it would have been able to get to it.
I felt particularly convicted about this oversight because even I, one who had the experience of watching a loved one struggle with accessibility, missed the importance of the paths.
I was 8 years old when I started to see my mom’s health deteriorate. She had been diagnosed with having rheumatoid arthritis, and she began to transition from being an able person who could move and access places easily to a differently-abled person with physical challenges. As her disability progressed, more and more spaces became limited and unwelcoming. In my native country, accessibility laws did not become a thing until recently. So, I remember on many occasions we were not able to attend gatherings at people’s homes or go to our favorite restaurant simply because we couldn’t get to them. The worst thing was to be invited somewhere and then be met by something such as a staircase, which, to most people, would have been no more than a mere inconvenience, but was a considerable obstacle to my mother.
I watched as moments like these caused her guilt and embarrassment, even though it was not her fault. Although I was not the one with a disability, I hurt for my mom and the ways these experiences made her feel unwelcome, regardless of the intentions of the people or places around her.
In the story of the man who is paralyzed, it is the people themselves who become the obstacle. Though the friends of the man make the effort to carry him to the gathering, the crowd seems unaware of the need to simply make an accessible path. I want to believe that they did not intend to become a barrier; sometimes, we can be ignorant to the needs of those around us. When we read this story, we tend to focus on the determination of the man’s friends, praising their cleverness in doing everything they could to bring the man to Jesus, but perhaps this scripture is a reminder of how we as people need to encourage accessibility and not create obstacles.
I believe that our call as a community is to always ask ourselves, ‘How are our actions or inactions clearing a path for others?’ How can we be proactive in creating spaces and gatherings that make everyone feel welcome? My mother is not able to go out much; her illness has evolved such that her mobility is minimal. However, I give thanks to God for technology and her church, for creating accessible ways that she can feel connected and welcomed into places she is unable to attend in person.
Today we are raising funds to rebuild the paths at the school garden, but even then, the work will continue until everyone has access and feels welcome. The table can be a welcoming place, but if the paths that lead to it are not accessible, then it is just a table.
Take a walk around the block or down the street. Pay close attention to potential obstacles that might prevent your neighbors from easily navigating the world around them. Think of ways you can help remove those obstacles.
Research organizations in your area that advocate for those who are differently-abled. If you feel led, see how you can lend your abilities to help further their mission.
Our hope is that this Table Talk series inspires you to take small steps toward inviting others into deeper community with you. This printable version of today's reflection, “Clearing the Path”, is for you to use in whatever way is helpful for you in your journey!
Blessing
Dear loving Lord,
Thank you for all of the beautiful ways
in which you have created your children.
Help us to see the value and worth in our differences,
and open our eyes as to how we can
help create clear paths that
welcome others to the table.
A little Table Talk for your table...
Have you, or anyone you are close to, ever faced a barrier, physical or otherwise, that prevented you from participating in an activity?
Have you ever unintentionally created a barrier for someone else?
How can we literally or metaphorically clear the path so that everyone can feel welcome at the table?
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
What is your kiddo’s favorite game to play? Talk with your child about the specific abilities they possess that allow them to play that game (ex: for hide-and-seek, they have to use their voice to count, use their eyes to look for their playmates, move their body to both hide and seek, etc.)
Discuss ways their school or church creates accessibility for everyone.
Talk about what barriers might exist that could prevent someone from participating in activities.
Meet our Welcoming Voice!
Rev. Carlos Uroza is the Pastor of Woodbine United Methodist Church and Primera Iglesia Metodista Hispana. He has a B.S. in Culinary Management from the Art Institute and a Masters of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School. He also serves as the interim Executive Director of Cosecha Community Development, a new non-profit in south Nashville whose mission is “Gathering Neighbors Together to Foster Community.” He is married to Dr. Sarah Uroza, and they are blessed to have a 7-year-old, Luke, and a dog named Molly 'Tamale'.
To hear more from Carlos throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!