*Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.*
John 5:2-9
Today is the 33rd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It’s hard to believe that it was only recently that accessibility became a national priority. In the late 1990s and early 2000s I used to ride the bus a lot in my hometown of Tempe. I’ll never forget the first time I witnessed a “kneeling bus” being lowered by hydraulics so that a person in a wheelchair could board. I remember watching as the bus driver efficiently and respectfully secured the chair with hooks and straps and how all of the riders moved to new seats to make way for their fellow passenger. It all had an air of dignity to it—for everyone. The quality of life of all passengers was increased by being able to participate in these steps that enabled someone in a wheelchair to go shopping or get to work.
The Pew Center estimates that 13% of the American population has a disability—including hearing, vision, cognitive, or mobility issues. Making adjustments to the way we do things in order to accommodate these disabilities is a solid advancement in our communities. Whenever someone stops to tell me that they cannot hear my sermon because my voice trails off at the end of the sentence (as hard as that might be for them) they are helping me connect with people I might otherwise miss. Whenever someone
points out an obstacle that blocks the path of a walker through an area, they are improving the experience of many others who would just turn around and go home. It is never complaining to make it known that there are obstacles to accessibility. It is making way for more people to fully participate in the life of the church. And there is so much more for us to discover in this area—ways that we can make our community more open.
Consider how bright patterns in carpeting and flooring can guide the visually impaired in and out of the sanctuary, or how a quiet room can help someone with autism participate in church with their family, or how ramps and handles can make moving up to the pulpit possible for someone with limited mobility. The healing of the paralyzed man in the passage from John *starts with Jesus seeing him*. The ADA was the beginning of an effort to see people who had been overlooked for a long time. We too should practice that kind of
vision and continue to make our community open to everyone.
Blessings,
Pastor Jen