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
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