Several years ago, I was stricken with meningitis with two accompanying strokes and became permanently profoundly deaf. I awoke from a coma not hearing anything and I couldn't walk. I was confounded with years of memory lost, lying in a world of silence. So I can identify with the story of the man who couldn't walk, lying beside the Bethesda pool in the book of St. John (5:1-15).
For 38 years he had suffered from paralysis, and on this day he was looking for someone to help him get into the pool at a certain time when the waters had healing powers. But once again he was met with disappointment and couldn't reach his goal.
However, Jesus just happened by and said to him, "Take up thy bed and walk!" He listened to the instructions of Jesus, rose, packed up his bed (which relates to the baggage that we carry that should be packed up so that we can make a difference) and went leaping, joyful and full of praise, sharing with others the good news.
Today, there are many lying in beds waiting to hear the good news. They are in nursing homes, hospices and care centers. Some may not be able to rise physically but with the good news, they can rise emotionally and spiritually.
As I began to rise through intense therapy and rehabilitation, I also began to rise spiritually and became cognizant for the first time of a multitude of people with various disabilities that were isolated and in need of spiritual nurturing. This became my mission and motivated me to rise, take up my bed of self-pity and write my autobiography, "Uphill Journey," and create Interfaith Specialty Services, Inc., which builds bridges of understanding and inclusion between congregations and people with disabilities. I also became a member of the Statewide Independent Living Council, and was the first deaf fellow in the National African-American Women's Leadership Institute (NAAWLI).
I was able to rise because Jesus took my hand and lifted me out of the valley of "can't do" to the height of "yes, I can," gave me goal-focused purpose, empowered me to negate society's stigma and discriminatory attitudes, and sheltered me in the sanctuary of his comfort and power.
I encourage you today, let us all roll up our beds of doubt, despair, disabling attitudes, depression and defeat, take God's hand and rise to make a difference. *
Editor's note: Rev. Lundy is also founder of "A Widow's Mite," a component of Interfaith Specialty Services, Inc., which, in partnership with Temple University's REEP program, gives rehabilitation equipment and spiritual comfort to needy persons during recovery. If you would like to donate equipment/assistive devices or other help contact ISS, Inc. at 215-324-2539, or visit its Web site, www.ISSINC. org. *
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