Miracles

 Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill                        The Rev. Nancy E. Gossling

 Mike and I frequently offer a blessing at the end of our liturgy which has been attributed to the Swiss moral philosopher, poet, and critic named Henri-Frederic Amiel, who lost his parents at a very young age. The words of the blessing go something like this: “Life is short. And we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us. So, be swift to love and make haste to be kind.”

The Wisdom of Solomon is part of the apocryphal or deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament, which is also known as the Hebrew scriptures. It is like the book of Ecclesiastes (6:12), whose author wrote, “Life is short and meaningless, and it fades away like a shadow. Who knows what is best for us? Who knows what will happen after we are gone?” Similarly, the Wisdom of Solomon addresses these very same issues of life and death; however this author has some answers for Ecclesiastes’ questions.

“God did not make death, and God does not delight in the death of the living,” wrote the author of the Wisdom of Solomon. True that, echoed Jesus to Jairus, whose daughter was at the point of death, and who was begging Jesus for help. Desperate, with his back against the proverbial wall, Jairus implored Jesus to “lay his hands on her, so that she be made well, and live.” So Jesus went with Jairus to do just that.

Now, because the crowds around Jesus had been growing in numbers, on both sides of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus wasn’t always aware of who was with him or around him. And yet, for some reason, he knew that a person had touched his clothes and that power had gone out of him. St. Mark tells us that there was a woman, who shared the desperation of Jairus. She had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years and had endured much under many physicians. She had spent all that she had and yet she had only grown worse in her affliction.

Like Jairus, this woman believed that Jesus could help her. “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well,” she said to herself. Not falling on her knees in front of Jesus, nor showing her face to him, she was different from Jairus. She didn’t beg Jesus repeatedly. She didn’t ask him to lay his hands upon her so that she would be made well. No, unclean women like her were prohibited from touching others, especially holy men like Jesus. So she was circumspect in her approach to Jesus, while still believing that He could help her. And He did, for immediately her hemorrhage stopped.

And yet she was called out by Jesus. “Who touched my clothes?” Jesus demanded. Rather than hiding, or running away, the woman fell at his feet and confessed to him what she had done. Jesus did not rebuke her, however, as was his right, and perhaps as she feared, but lovingly responded to her confession. Without laying his hands upon her, Jesus confirmed her miracle with his words. “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

The miracle stories in St. Mark’s gospel keep rolling off his pen as if Jesus was curing everyone without any interruptions. But this woman’s appeal delayed Jesus from attending to Jairus’ daughter. And so, while Jesus was still speaking to this woman, some people came from the leader’s house to tell Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?”

Now it may be tempting to point to the differences between the lives of this particular woman and that man. Jairus was a man of power, a leader in his own right, while this poor woman had no power and no privileges. Would Jairus not be angry that she had interrupted Jesus, especially after hearing that his daughter had died? St. Mark doesn’t tell us specifically about Jairus’ reaction; he just writes that Jesus told him not to fear, only believe.

In her sermon entitled, The Problem with Miracles, Barbara Brown Taylor wrote, “Sometimes I wonder if the miracle stories in the Bible do more harm than good. They are spectacular stories, most of them, and there is a lot of comfort to be had from watching Jesus still the storm, heal the sick, and raise the dead. The problem with miracles is that it is hard to witness them without wanting one of your own. Every one of us knows someone who is suffering.” (p136-7, Bread of Angels)

Overhearing what some people had said to Jairus, Jesus encouraged him with His words “Do not fear, only believe.”  And today’s reading from the Wisdom of Solomon claims that God did not make death; but that we are made in the image of God’s own eternity and our righteousness is immortal. It was rather through the devil’s envy that death entered into our world and those who belong to the devil’s company will experience it. In other words, your behavior and your beliefs are critical to your life.

Context can offer us some more insight. It is believed that the author of the Wisdom of Solomon lived in Alexandria, Egypt possibly during the city’s conquest by Rome in 30 A.D. The author wanted the Jewish community to take pride in their faith while they endured the anti-Jewish riots that began in 38 AD. There was a new emphasis on the immortality of their souls because they faced imminent death, and so the author is encouraging their belief in the Wisdom of God. (NRSV, 1497-1499)  Ethical people, faithful people, will know that their souls are incorruptible and immortal. Keep your faith in God; for God does not delight in the death of the living!

Wisdom literature became known as Sophia Wisdom or Woman Wisdom and was understood as an eternal emanation of God’s power and glory. Later it became known in this Jewish community as the Logos of God. That is the Word of God. (NRSV) And so, as was written in the gospel of John only a few decades later, Jesus was described as the Logos of God, and the one who emanated God’s wisdom, power, and glory in human form. In God’s Word made flesh.

“Do not fear, only believe,” Jesus told Jairus. Believe that God did not make death, and does not delight in the death of the living, and that God created all things so that they might exist. Of course if you’re a realist, a person of practicality, and someone who cannot imagine holy mysteries, you will laugh at Jesus, as they did outside the house of Jairus, where the crowds had gathered once again and were weeping and wailing over this little girl’s death.

 Jesus would not allow everyone to follow him into this little girl’s room, however. Only Peter, James, and John, along with Jairus and the girl’s mother, were allowed to witness the miracle. It wasn’t a matter of space; for even with the best of intentions, the impact of people’s words can make a difference. So Jesus wanted to be surrounded by a small and intimate crowd of people who trusted and believed in him and God’s power.

After Jesus took the little girl’s hand and told her to get up, those in the room were overcome with amazement. Amazement overcomes us when we suddenly realize that a miracle has happened, and it is not limited to miracle stories like these two women in St. Mark’s gospel. Amazement can overcome us when we see the sunrise emerging over our horizon, and we awaken to a new day of life, after a night of weeping. We are amazed when we witness the miracle of new birth, when the Celtics win the NBA finals after several years of failed attempts, when we realize with gratitude how fortunate we are, and how blessed we have been in our relationships.

Miracles do happen and yet they are not for everyone. Furthermore, miracles are not something that we can control. In the words of Barbara Brown Taylor, “Faith does not work miracles. God does. Even if Jesus had walked into Jairus’ daughter’s room, closed her eyes with his fingertips, and pulled the sheet over her head, her father’s belief would have become the miracle at that point, his willingness to believe that she was still in God’s good hands even though she had slipped out of his.” (BBT,139,140)

The Wisdom of Solomon encourages our righteous and faithful behavior. The author claims that the ungodly, that is the devil’s companions, will not escape punishment, and that wisdom dwells only in a sincere, holy, and disciplined soul. The ungodly people will say that life is short and meaningless and physical death is the end of our existence. Conversely, Wisdom claims that our immortality is a gift from God, not due to the nature of our souls, but rather to our vital and eternal relationship with God. Faith will see us through the dark nights of our souls when we put our trust in God who has created us for incorruption and immortality. For life and not for death.

Some say Jairus’ daughter was a sign of resurrection in St. Mark’s gospel. God only knows. And so we cling to the here and now, reminding ourselves that “life is short and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us.” But we can be like Jesus, and consider our companions on the journey. Like Jesus, we can “be swift to love and make haste to be kind.” “Do not fear, only believe” Jesus said. "That is our job," wrote Barbara Brown Taylor. "The rest is up to God.” (BBT p140)

Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15; 2:23-24    2 Corinthians 8:7-15    Mark 5:21-43 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why are You Afraid?

               Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill        The Rev. Nancy E. Gossling 

There is a common saying that comes to mind during certain times in my life. “Oh God, your ocean is so big and my boat is so small. Save me and help me, I humbly beseech you.” This prayer is not just about me, however. It’s about my church, my community, my nation, and the world.

            If we think of God’s ocean as all that inhabits our world, our boats are both personal and particular as well as communal and collective. Pick any spot in the world and you’ll find what St. Paul describes in his second letter to the Corinthians. There are afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, and hunger. There are people of honor and dishonor, people of ill repute and good repute. Imposters abound. Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee O God!

            When we feel overwhelmed with the state of our country, our world, our climate, and our own personal lives, we may feel as if we’re traveling across this vast ocean of water on a tiny little fishing boat that is taking on water at a very fast clip. We feel as if we have a leader who seems to be asleep at the helm. The chaos of the winds and waves are swirling around us and the likelihood of our death seems imminent. We see no end in sight, no coast guard to help us, no signals coming from a nearby lighthouse, offering us the hope that land is close by. Does God not care that we are perishing?

            There are good reasons for us to be afraid at certain times in our lives. To deny the reality of things, such as diseases, afflictions, wars, and certain people and policies would be foolish. And so, after being roused from his sleep, Jesus doesn’t tell his disciples that there is nothing to fear. No, your fear is legit, he claims. And then he asks that simple question, but “Why are you afraid?”

            According to Wikipedia, “The word “why” is used to inquire about the cause, reason, or purpose of something. Asking “why” promotes critical thinking, curiosity, problem-solving, and empathy. “Why” questions help us build connections, foster meaningful conversations, and help us to gain deeper insights.” “Why are you afraid?” Jesus asked his disciples.

Why are the disciples afraid? Because they still had no faith? Why? Because they didn’t trust in God but rather they continued to rely upon their own personal resources. Why? Because they thought they could control everything in their own little boats. Why? Because they could not see beyond the small circle of their own personal lives. Why? Because they were limited in their vision and thinking only of themselves. Why? Because they still had no faith in the power and presence of God, including in the man sleeping in their boat.

I find it interesting that the word “fear” is translated in two very different ways. Originally, the Greek word for fear says that  the disciples “feared exceedingly.” That is they were terrified. And not only were they terrified by the chaos, winds, and waves around them, and that they were “perishing”, but they also were terrified by Jesus’ power. “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

            Our translation today, however, claims that the disciples were “filled with great awe” rather than terror. Awe suggests a feeling of reverence. It suggests that they saw Jesus as someone who had power and control even over the elements that threatened to kill them. Not fully realizing that Jesus was more than just their teacher, and did not seem to care about their situation, they were beginning to wonder if Jesus might be more than just their rabbi.

Jesus asks them “Why are you afraid?” and then accuses them that it is because they “still have no faith.”  Now faith is a matter of trusting in someone or something that cannot be found in our tiny little boats. It is a faith in someone or something that cannot be seen with our naked eyes and is not within our human reach. It is putting our trust in a Higher Power, a Greater Good, and a Spirit that cannot be contained or controlled by us. It is a force for good and not evil, that creates life and not death.

Now for most of us, we often think of the quality of our faith rather than its quantity. Perhaps when we feel that we don’t have enough of it, in those times of hardship and afflictions, in our personal lives or in our communal lives, we may cry out to God for help. Now God doesn't always step into our lives or into our boats on our terms and in our time; but God is always there, aware of our suffering, caring for our lives, and present to us in the best of times, and the worst of them, in our lives and at our death.

Job is an icon of faithfulness, who keeps asking God those “why” questions. After 37 chapters of conversations between Job and his friends, and Job’s faithful responses, God finally responds to Job. God is not asleep in Job’s boat. Out of the whirlwind, a common indicator in the Bible of the presence of God, God speaks. Who are you, Job, in the great scheme of things? I am God, Creator of heaven and earth, and all that exists within creation. Where were you in the beginning, when I was making something out of nothing?            

While God is ever present, always knowing, and all powerful, we are not. And so the story of Job sets up the story of Jesus. Like Job, suffering and afflicted by various diseases and demons, the crowds of people have come to see Jesus and are asking him for help. Exhausted from his work, Jesus climbed into a boat with his disciples, in order to go to the other side, where he will begin again. The paparazzi of people immediately jumped into their own boats to follow him when suddenly a great windstorm arose. And remember, God is in the windstorms.

            Imagine the scene. The boat is being swamped with waves and the disciples are terrified. Meanwhile, Jesus is asleep at the helm. Fearing death, and clearly suffering with anxiety, the disciples call out to Jesus. “Does he not care that they are perishing?” Like Job, they want to know that someone like God is aware of their situation and is willing to help. It is at times like these that we realize that our resources are just not enough. In twelve step language, we call this hitting bottom; and in desperation, we call out to God for help. Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee O God.

Michael Lindvall recalls a passage from “a scene near the end of John Bunyan’s classic allegorical novel, The Pilgrim's Progress. The chief character named Christian is the archetype of a person struggling to lead a life of faith, nearing the end of his symbolic journey. This journey requires him to cross a great and fearsome river; and he is desperately afraid. Together with his friend Hopeful, they wade into the waters with trepidation.”

“Bunyan has Christian cry out, ‘I sink in deep Waters; the Billows go over my head, all His waves go over me.’ Hopeful replies with what may be among the most grace-filled words in all of literature; ‘Be of good cheer, my Brother, I feel the bottom, and it is good….” (John Bunyan, the Pilgrim’s Progress (1678), p 1, sec x) (Feasting on the Word, p168)

             Despite whatever may be swirling around us, naturally or unnaturally, justly or unjustly, everything remains in the hands of God, who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. These stories tell us that God is both a holy mystery, beyond our human understanding, and a revelation in the person of Jesus. Have faith, have trust, believe in me and believe also in the One who sent me to save you, Jesus repeated. I have been to the bottom and it is good; and new life awaits you on the other side. For God once said, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”

            Oh God, your ocean is so large and our boats are so small; and yet when we hit our proverbial bottoms of fear, we can hold on to that little bit of faith, trusting in God’s power and love. Yes, God is aware that there is suffering and evil in this world, some of it is fair and some of it is not, but even in all of that chaos and suffering God is still there. God is both in the boat with us and waiting on the distant shore for us to arrive.

“See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!” Increase our faith, and turn our fear into awe. Be our light in the darkness and bring us safely home. Save us and help us we humbly beseech thee O God.

 

Job 38:1-11     2 Corinthians 6:1-13   Mark 4:35-41