Finding A Way

Et non invenientes qua parte illum inferrent prae turba, ascenderunt supra tectum per tegulas. Desiderant paralyticum Christo offerre, sed turba interposita ab omni parte recluduntur, quia saepe anima post infirmi corporis desidiam ad Deum resipiscens, supernaeque gratiae remedio cupiens innovari, priscae consuetudinis obstaculo retardatur, saepe inter ipsas orationis secretae dulcedines, et quasi suave cum Domino colloquium, turba cogitationum interveniens aciem mentis ne Christus videatur intercludit. Et quid inter haec agendum, non utique in infirmis exterius qua turbae tumultuantur remanendum, sed tectum domus, in qua Christus docet, ascendendum, id est, sacrae Scripturae sublimitas est appetenda, lexque Domini cum Psalmista die noctuque meditanda: In quo enim corrigit junior viam suam, in custodiendo, inquit, sermones tuos. Et submiserunt illum cum lecto in medium ante Jesum. Patefacto tecto aeger ante Jesum summittitur, quia reseratis Scripturarum mysteriis ad notitiam Christi pervenitur. Hoc est, ad ejus humilitatem fidei pietate descenditur; et bene domus Jesu regulis contecta describitur, quia sub contemptibili litterarum velamine, si adsit qui reseret doctor, divina spiritalis gratiae virtus invenietur; quod autem cum lecto deponitur, significat ab homine in ista carne adhuc constituto Christum debere cognosci. Rabanus Maurus, Homilia LXVIII, Lectio sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam Source: Migne PL 110.275b-c

And unable to find a way to bring him in through the crowd, they climbed up on the roof, over the tiles. 1 They desire to offer the paralytic to Christ, but the obstacle of the crowd closes up every way, since often the soul that looks to God after the idleness of the body and desires to be renewed by the remedy of heavenly grace, is held back by the obstacle of its old habits, and often among the sweetness of secret prayers, as sweet as it is to speak with the Lord, a crowd of thoughts blocks the eagerness of the mind lest Christ appear. And what must be done so that the infirm exterior which is troubled by the crowd not impede, but to climb to the roof of the house in which Christ teaches, that is, the sublimity of Holy Scripture must be desired and the law of the Lord which the Psalmist meditated on night and day. For in this shall a youth correct his way, it says, in the keeping of your words. 2 And they lowered him down with his pallet before Jesus. With the roof opened the sick man was lowered down before Jesus, because with the mysteries of the Scriptures opened up he came to the notice of Christ. That is, to His humility in the piety of faith he descends. And it is well said that the house in which Jesus is was covered with tiles, because beneath the covering of common letters, if the teacher is present who is revealed, shall be found the Divine power of spiritual grace, and that the pallet was set down, signifies that Christ must be known by a man yet still constituted in this flesh. Rabanus Maurus, from Homily 68, On A Reading from the Gospel of Saint Luke 1 Lk 5.19 2 Ps 1.2, Ps 118.9