Comment:
I want to begin by making a few remarks about the events in Charleston,
South Carolina. Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, has encouraged
all congregations to observe today as a day of repentance and mourning. Since
today is a day for Ted, I have chosen to not focus on that element of worship. I will simply include a couple of prayers for
the people who died.
But, I do want to make it clear that there is no place in this
congregation, in the Lutheran Church, in the Christian Church, or in any
religion, for hatred of another person based solely on the color of their skin
or their ethnic or religious background. Jesus would be appalled at the action
taken by Dylann Roof, and grieves with all of us over the deaths of the people
he killed. Jesus also grieves over Mr Roof, for the choices he made.
Let us be careful in how we think about and treat everyone. And let us be
aware of the subtle ways in which we are taught by our culture to judge others
as different and therefore less than us.
Mark 5: 21-43
Life, interrupted
Last week, Jesus was on the Sea of Galilee in the
fishing boat. He demonstrated his access to divine powers by stilling the storm.
The disciples were amazed, as they had this new insight into who Jesus is.
Today, they get additional insight into his true identity.
Jesus and the disciples are in a town walking and
talking, surrounded by a crowd of people, as usual. In this episode, Jesus
begins with one healing and is interrupted on the way.
One of the town’s leaders, a man named Jairus has
a sick little girl. The text tells us she is about twelve. She appears to
dying, and Jairus is scared. He begs Jesus repeatedly to come to his home and
heal her. His life has been interrupted by his sick child.
On the way, a woman who has been bleeding for
twelve years is desperate. She has lost hope, hope of having a husband, hope of
having children, hope of having people who welcomed her into their homes. Her
life has been interrupted.
She doesn’t think she is worthy enough to speak
directly to Jesus, so she reaches out as he passes and touches his clothing.
She knows instantly she has been healed; her bleeding has stopped, just like
that!
Although she did not want to be noticed, Jesus has
felt his power going from him to someone. “Who has touched me?” he asks. The
disciples are astounded. “How do you expect us to know that? Do you know how
many people there are in this crowd?”
The woman gives up, and confesses it was she who
touched him. Jesus speaks tenderly to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you
well. Go in peace.” The Greek word Jesus uses means the woman is not just
healed physically, but made whole – healed physically, emotionally, socially.
She has been made completely whole.
After this interruption, Jesus continues on his
way to Jairus’ house with just Peter, James and John accompanying him. By now,
the daughter has died, and the crowd outside the house has begun the wailing of
grief. “Jesus, you’re too late. The girl has died!” Jesus takes the girl’s
parents with him into the house, where Jesus calls to the girl. “Little girl,
get up.” Immediately, the girl stands up. Jesus tells the parents two things:
“Give her something to eat.” And “Don’t tell anyone about this.” The child is
well enough to eat – the healing has instantly made her whole.
I want to touch just briefly on this comment Jesus
makes about not telling anyone about the healing. Several times in Mark’s
Gospel, Jesus tells people to not tell anyone about something he has done. I
think this is mostly because he doesn’t want the timeline to be pushed ahead.
Assuming the plan is for him to be crucified at the beginning of Passover, too
many people talking about his power might push the time of his arrest ahead.
Once he has died and been raised, it would all make sense, and people would be
free to tell these stories.
Mark’s way of telling these stories, with one
story interrupting another, makes me think about how often our lives are
interrupted. I remember a family trip to the beach when I was a child. In fun,
my mother kicked some sand at my father, and broke her toe. Usually a broken
toe is no big deal, but it was a spiral break, and she wore a cast halfway up
her shin for several weeks.
We are living our lives, and suddenly something
happens. We get cancer, a loved one dies, our spouse leaves us, our children
are in trouble with the law, our finances hit bottom. Our “normal” lives are
interrupted. We want Jesus to come to us and make us or our loved ones whole.
But, we remember that Jesus didn’t heal everyone
in Galilee, just those who came near him when he was in their town. We don’t
really trust Jesus to physically heal anyone, anymore. Mostly, we put our trust
in doctors and other medical people to take care of our physical ailments. I
believe that Jesus does indeed heal us through medical people.
In addition, Jesus seeks to make us whole, even
if we are not physically healed. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus works within us
to help us go on living, to find a purpose in life, despite our circumstances,
our life interruptions.
Life interruptions can be positive. A new job, a
new house, a new child or spouse, even a new car can be pleasant interruptions.
For gay and lesbian couples seeking permission to be married, the decision of
the Supreme Court is a happy interruption to their lives. Although some of you
may disagree, I believe that Jesus is pleased with this decision.
Life, interrupted, happened in Charleston, South
Carolina. Dylann Roof’s goal was to start a race war, to so enrage people that
a lot of black people would be killed. But it backfired on him. First, the
people he planned to murder were so nice to him in the Bible study that he
almost changed his mind. And second, the race war he hoped for was interrupted
by the families of the people he killed. Over and over, they said, “I forgive
you, because that’s what Jesus wants me to do.” They will be made whole by
their faith in Jesus and the Spirit’s work in their hearts.
Ted, too, faced life, interrupted. It was about six
years ago that he came to me and said he wanted to be a deacon. He spent two
years studying, and was consecrated by Bishop Benoway on the same day that Hope
celebrated its 40th anniversary. He went with me or with Deacon John
making visits to some of our homebound people. He led worship, reading the
scriptures and leading the prayers. I think this role as deacon gave him great
joy.
And, then, we began to notice that he was
becoming different. He didn’t always know his place in the liturgy or in the
music booklet in the choir. He became more easily upset. He used standard
answers to questions which hid the fact that he didn’t really know what we were
talking about. His driving made Manley, with whom he rode in the Crime Watch
vehicle, very nervous. Like the character Jim on the TV show Vicar of Dibley, he said “no” even if he
meant “yes.” He didn’t even want his beloved dogs near him.
For the last few months, he has been in bed,
waiting to die. His life was interrupted by Alzheimer’s. And now, he has been
made whole. His mind and body have been restored to wholeness in Jesus’
presence. Lynn’s life, interrupted by caring for a spouse with a terminal
illness, will also be restored to wholeness.
This morning (at
the 10am service) we will take some time to remember Ted. And we will come
forward to be anointed with oil as we pray for healing in our lives and in the
lives of loved ones. Healing may or may not be physical, but even so we pray
that God will make us whole. God will shape our hearts to be open to God’s
purposes, to God’s love for us, to God’s forgiveness for us and for all people.
This week, be nice to Lynn and to Ted’s family
members who are here this morning, but not too nice. They are putting their
lives back in order after the interruption of Ted’s illness and death.
Also this week, consider if your life is
currently “normal” or feeling interrupted. Is there some way we can help you? Please
ask – maybe a Stephen minister can walk with you.
Look for people whose lives have been
interrupted. Offer to help them, with some time, or with something tangible
like food. Offer to pray for them, and then do pray.
And watch for healing and wholeness to come,
because Jesus’ power will come, one way or another, along with the
interruptions.
Please pray with me. God of life, even life
interrupted, be present with us today as we remember Ted. Comfort and
strengthen the families in South Carolina. Fill us with your wholeness. Amen
