Let Nothing Stand In The Way

This week’s lectionary reading, Mark 5:21-43 is unusually timely and applicable to the headline news this week—the upholding of the Affordable Health Care law by the United States Supreme Court.

In the Mark passage there are two individuals introduced, well, depicted at least.  One is Jairus, who seeks the healing of his young daughter, and the other is a nameless woman, lost in the crowd.  Jairus is a man of position, power and influence. He was one of the synagogue leaders.  The nameless woman, however, had no such power or position in her society.  What little status she may have had was long since lost.  She had a disease that had deemed her socially and religiously unclean for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on medical care that had not cured her. 

These two individuals represent the growing divide in our nation.  Those of substance and power who seem to have at their disposal resources that have been lost or remain unavailable to others.  The woman is a clear representation of those who may have begun the battle for health with some degree of security and means.  Through the course of treatment, however, she had depleted her resources—the insurance company, had there been one, would have cut her off—still, her suffering and need continued.  I am glad these individuals are paired in this account.  In Jesus response we are vividly reminded of the scope of healing and hope offered by God.  Both those with means and those without are afforded the access to healing and wholeness.

Both Jairus and the woman had a lot to overcome to seek healing from Christ.  Jairus, as a leader of the synagogue, was among the privileged of his day.  He was a benefactor of the collaboration the faith system of the day held with the imperialism of Roman oppression.  It was a group with hostility toward Christ, who opposed this alliance and use of the religious system for personal gain and privilege, a means of oppression instead of compassion.  He risked it all for the healing of his daughter.  He would not allow his respected position and privilege to stand in the way.  He stood to lose it all by turning to Christ.  He would not let the reports of his daughter’s death to stand in the way of his believing that Christ could yet do something to restore his daughter. 

The nameless woman also faced many barriers in reaching out to Jesus for healing.  There was the social stigma of women in the day.  There was the ritual issue of uncleanness due to her disease.  Then there was the multitude that overshadowed her and prevented her access to Jesus.  She allowed none of this to stand in the way to her hope for health and wholeness.  She reached out her hand in spite of who she was and what the multitude thought about her—or the fact that they didn’t think about her at all. 

Nothing would stand in the way of hope for health and healing for Jairus or this woman when it came to the suffering of themselves and those they loved.  The message is clear.  The suffering, whoever they are, are to have access to hope and wholeness.  Nothing should be allowed to stand in the way of the hope of those who suffer.  This week, thankfully, the constitution of this country was not used to stand in the way of those who are suffering without access to resources for hope of health and wholeness!  This week the pressing multitude that leaves the facelessness of suffering lost in crowd began to part; to make a way for the suffering to at least stretch out their hands and hopes.

One more significant lesson is offered in this passage which is applicable to the events of this week in our country.  That is Jesus example when approached by Jairus.  Remember, Jairus, in essence, is of the “other party.”  The leaders of the synagogue already had it in for Jesus and would continue to oppose his teaching to continue their own power.  Yet, when he came to Jesus with the account of one—a child—who was suffering, there was nothing that would stand in Jesus way from responding.  Not even the fact that he was of an “opposing party.”  Whatever our political perspective on the issue of the Affordable Health Care law, as followers of Christ, when it comes to our suffering, the suffering of those we love, the suffering of the faceless individuals lost in the crowd, even the suffering of those who disagree with us or oppose us, nothing should stand in the way of access to hope for wholeness and health!

In the Epistle reading for this week, II Corinthians 8:7-15, the Apostle Paul challenges us to “finish what we started” when it comes to acts of generosity and compassion.  It is human nature to need encouragement to carry through the things we start.  We lose motivation and commitment over time.  We grow tired when obstacles get in the way.  We must hear this admonition in relation to what is only beginning with the Affordable Health Care law.  This is but a beginning.  It will be a path with ongoing challenges, obstacles and differences of opinion.  When this happens, and it has already begun, let us have the spirit of Jairus and the woman in the crowd.  Let us allow nothing to stand in the way when it comes to providing access to hope for health and wholeness to any and all who suffer.

                                                                                                                        June 29, 2012

Do You Need A Wakeup Call?

I Samuel 3:1-10   

John 1:43-51                                                              

                                     

When I read the text for today from I Samuel I am not sure if I am reading a page from the annals of Hebrew Old Testament history or a description of today’s Christian church.  The similarities are striking!  First, the text declares the word of the LORD was rare—there were not many visions.  While that was the case for Israel in Eli’s day it could also be said of today’s church.  What new word have we heard from the Still Speaking God lately?  Where have all the visions gone?  The text depicts a nighttime scene in the tabernacle.  It is a scene which, again, has striking similarities with many contemporary congregations—and not just at night.  We are often a sleepy lot!  Is it just me and Eli or are others having issues with “eyes becoming weak?”  And what about Eli “lying down in his usual place?”  Nobody had better try sitting in our pew, that is where we usually sleep!  Then there is the whole authority issue.  Samuel is said to be “ministering before the LORD, under Eli.”  If there was to be a word from the LORD, to whom would it be assumed to come?  Certainly not young Samuel.  And what if, be it ever so rare for there to come a word—a wake up call from God—what is our first reaction?  Hit the snooze button and lay back down.  The issue may not be that the word of the LORD is rare but that we have become sedentary, comfortable and not perceptive of the ways in which God’s voice is still speaking.

The text is applicable to today not only in the area of our need for a wake up call but also in the depiction of hope that remained for Israel and which remains for us.  The text states, “the lamp of the LORD had not yet gone out.”  This was the lamp that burned each night beside the Ark of the Covenant.  The actual statement indicates that the events are taking place during the night, the morning had not come.  There is, however, some sense of divine foreshadowing, that although the word of the LORD was rare, the presence of the LORD remained—the wick was still burning. 

The issue is a statement of Epiphany.  God’s lamp has not yet gone out.  As rare as the word of the LORD may seem, as depleted as we may be of vision, there is still time to receive and heed the wake up call of God.

How is this wake up call heard?  Well, how does Samuel learn to hear and know the voice?  The first thing I notice is the attention to discipline.  It was while being faithful to the mundane, routine goings on in the life of the tabernacle that the word of the LORD was heard.  Even when the word of the LORD was rare, even when there were no visions, even before Samuel knew the LORD on a personal, experiential basis, he was there doing what he had been assigned—what was necessary in the everyday life and work at the tabernacle.  I see depicted in Samuel a devotion to detail and diligence in observing the practices of the faith—tending the lamp.  I also get a picture of this little kid sleeping “on the chancel.”  Cozied up as close to God as he could get.  I see Samuel, responding in the only way he knew how as things started happening that he did not quite understand.  When God did speak and Samuel did not quite know what was going on, he went to the only place he knew to go.  He went to Eli, the aged priest, teacher and guide. 

And what about Eli?  Granted, the word of the LORD was so rare that he did not readily recognize what was going on in the tabernacle that night; he was so quick to hit the snooze button when the wake up call did come, that had it not been for the persistence of the voice of God, the word of the LORD would have remained rare and there would still have been no vision. Yet, once Eli realized that the word of the LORD was coming—and it was not coming to him he not only made room for Samuel he used his experience and knowledge to guide and prepare Samuel to hear that word.  He was not concerned about Samuel “ministering under” him.  He was not concerned, as God was not concerned, about protocol, qualification, status or rank.  Eli played a part in God’s message getting through even if he was not the one to whom God was speaking.

“The lamp of the LORD had not yet gone out.”  The voice of God was still calling and, with the help of Eli, Samuel heard it. 

The Gospel reading for today also depicts a wake up call.  Nathaniel was found by Philip.  Now, I don’t know what Nathaniel had been doing under the fig tree—apparently Jesus would have known—but my imagination sees him having found a cool place in the shade of the fig tree for an afternoon nap.  If he was not literally asleep, he was figuratively dozing in the comfort of his own prejudices and opinions.  Then, along comes Philip with a not so welcome wake up call about some religious non-sense out of Nazareth.  With all of the hospitality of one whose afternoon nap had been interrupted by a door to door religious solicitor, Nathaniel displays his prejudices and opinions.  He tries, like Eli, to hit the snooze button and dismiss the disturbance with his sarcasim, “can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  But Philip, like a mother rousing a sleeping school child, increases the volume of the wake up call with his classic enticement, “come and see.”  Nathaniel was wide awake when Jesus displayed powers beyond explanation.  Rubbing  his eyes to make sure he was awake and not dreaming he professes, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”  Now, that is getting a wake up call!

Both of these passages offer us hope and challenge in this season of Epiphany.  We see that God does give wake up calls.  We see that no matter how drowsy we may be the voice of God can still come through loud and clear.  Our challenge is to hear and respond to the voice and presence of God that is within and throughout our world.

Is the word of God rare?  I don’t think so.  You know what I think?  I think if we are perceptive to the voice of God we will hear in countless places a continual wake up call that, as Samuel says, “will make the ears of all who hear it to ring.”  I think, like Nathaniel, we have confessed our faith because of what we have already heard but, like Nathaniel, we ain’t heard nothing yet!  I think if we would but wake up to the voice and call of God we too would see angels continually ascending and descending.  The next time God sends a wake up call, don’t dare hit that snooze button.  Awaken and say, “Here I am!”  For God is calling each and every one of us by name.

Are You Feeling It Yet?

                                                         Isaiah 9:1-7; Luke 2:1-20

                                                         Christmas Eve 2011

We have spent the season of Advent preparing.  We have been decking the halls and shopping since Thanksgiving, or longer.  We have been partying for weeks.  Are you feeling it yet?  Feeling what?  You may be feeling many different things at this point.  You may be feeling the merriment of the season; having reconnected with friends and family, having expressed love and joy to those dear to you, having given even to those who remain strangers to you.  Maybe you are feeling the joy.  Or, maybe not.  Maybe you are feeling the peace of remembering and resting in the traditions of Christmases past.  Or, maybe not.  Whatever you may or may not be feeling yet, I wonder if you are feeling the mystery of Christmas yet.  Maybe there is still time to enter into the mystery of Christmas even at this late hour.  Tonight’s Christmas Eve service is what Bob Harper from the Biggest Loser series would call “the last chance worship.”  It is for all those who have worked hard to prepare but may not be feeling the real mystery of Christmas yet.  It is a last chance to focus on and abandon ourselves to the mystery before us.

We gather here tonight and focus on a manger in a stable and on the baby who was born and laid in that manger.  Why do we come, year after year, to repeat this tradition?  I believe we are drawn here by the mystery that we find only in gathering to celebrate this tradition in this way.  Whatever else we may feel in all of the preparations we have made it is here, and only here, that we truly enter into the mystery of this holy night.  Let us stand, even kneel, at the manger and behold him.  Let us abandon ourselves to the mystery of this holy night.

Notice first the mystery of the darkness of this night.  We gather in this, the darkest season of the year, because we are a people familiar with the darkness.  We are those of whom Isaiah spoke, “the people who walk in darkness.”  We are drawn here as partners in solidarity with one another against the darkness.  We gather in the darkness to defy the power and fear of darkness.  We gather in darkness to proclaim our faith in the one who was born and laid in the manger, the one who has “shined a great light on us.”

The mystery of the manger in Bethlehem proclaims that we are partners with all of creation.  Whether presented live or in art, the Nativity is never about just humans.  There are cattle and sheep.  There are stars and the open air of a night sky.  There are Angels.  This holy night proclaims that the event happening here, the birth of Christ, will touch all of God’s creation.  This mystery is about all of creation standing before the one who was born to reconcile and redeem all of creation of which we are part.

The mystery of all mysteries this holy night is the mystery of the Incarnation, God dwelling among us.  Every other religious tradition is focused on humankind’s endeavors to approach the deities, whether through feats of worthiness, feasts of enticement or fat of sacrifices.  The mystery of this night is that at this manger the God of God’s has come to dwell with us.  God has entered into the midst of the darkness, fears and oppression in the vulnerability of a human baby.  This child laid in a manger is Emmanuel—God with us.  O, Holy Night!

We have gathered here tonight from our scattered places.  I think we have come to the right place.  Something draws us here.  I think it is the mystery.  I think of the old movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind.  There is a scene in the Close Encounters movie which speaks to the drawing power of a mystery.  People who have seen the UFO in the movie have a compelling draw to go to Devil’s Tower, the projected site of the upcoming alien landing.  Against government order, these people begin to arrive at Devil’s Tower with a determination which is unstoppable.  One of the scientists who is working for the government is intrigued by this magnetism and says, “It’s still a mystery to me why they are here.  Even they do not know why.  Mysteriously they have been drawn here in their quest for something they can’t comprehend.”  He continues, “We didn’t choose this place; we didn’t choose these people.  They were invited.…(They are) a group of people who have shared a vision in common.”

We are drawn here because we are a people who have shared a vision in common.  It is a vision of light that has shined upon us.  It is a vision of unity with all of creation.  It is the assurance of the dwelling of God among us.  Here in this place, in this moment, we enter into the mystery of this holy night.

To feel the mystery of this night we must but stop and behold the Child in the manger.  To enter into the mystery of this night we must but abandon ourselves to God…and receive our Emmanuel.