Sermon for July 1, 2018                  Sixth of Pentecost           “If Only I Could…”

The two healing stories in Mark’s Gospel are woven together for hope, impact, challenge and faith. At first reading they show the mercy and awareness of Jesus and his desire for healing, wellness and life. As the layers are peeled back we are exposed to even greater learnings and insights.

The first story tells of a man of privilege and place in society and church. Jairus represents order, status quo, the ‘true’ faith, and yet here he is talking with Jesus about his daughter. The love for his daughter outweighs any disturbance to his faith beliefs. On his way, Jairus is informed that his daughter has died so why bother Jesus further. Jesus continues to their home and takes Jairus, his wife and the disciples into the little girl’s room. Taking her by the hand, he says: Talitha cum which means ‘little girl get up’. She got up, they were amazed, Jesus asked them to tell no one and to get her something to eat. Hope is deepened and life is restored.

The second healing tells of a women hemorrhaging for twelve years. An outcast, unclean and unwanted, she had gone from doctor to doctor and spent all she had. She was in the crowd as Jesus was travelling to Jarius’ house and only wanted to touch the cloak of Jesus. As soon as she did, she was healed. Jesus felt the healing power flow through him and asked ‘who touched me?’ the woman confessed to touching him and Jesus reply is ‘your faith has made you well’.

For as much as two are healed in this story, many are not. I have sat with and prayed with many families for healing. In my whole career, healing has happened once. All the other times I have conducted a celebration of life, cared for grieving families, and loved ones. In Jesus day and ours some are healed and some are not, it just is and I do not think there is any real explanation and it is certainly not because one had more faith than another did.

The characters in the stories could not be more different. Jarius the man of privilege and named, and an outcast woman, un-named. The common factor is that they both seek out Jesus. Seeking Jesus is what started the journey, surprise is how it ended. How true is that still today.

The man is privileged and has position, the woman has for the past 12 years been bleeding her life force, all her spirit and energy gone. He approaches Jesus from a perspective of power, the woman from the position of outcast. Jesus treats them with the same dignity and respect. Beverly ZInck-Sawyer comments: “ Both victims of illness are female and ritually unclean, one as a result of death and one as a result of hemorrhage; both represent the significance of the number twelve in Jewish tradition (the twelve years of hemorrhage and the twelve year old girl); and both are regarded as daughters (the little girl being Jairus’s daughter and the woman is addressed by Jesus as Daughter). An act of touch restores both women to new life even as those surrounding them lack understanding.”

The question then and now is who has access to Jesus? I know the easy answer is everyone but is that really true. If Jesus were invited to Saint John who do you think would be the first invited? Then the next and the next and then the last. Would we get an invite. I raise this to get us thinking about status and privilege. Let me be clear that if Jesus came to Saint John, I think he would be with the poor and displaced and would outright reject the invitation to a ‘black tie’ event at the convention centre. And if Jesus came to town what lengths would we go to get a glimpse of him or to touch the hem of his garment.

How often do we say ‘if only’ and then leap into the next task.

Time to stop. Stop the ‘what if’ and come to the full realization that Jesus is here. Jesus is in you, Jesus is in me, Jesus is where ever two are gathered in his name. That is a powerful presence. I watched a wonderful face-book video where a teacher was teaching value of self and others. He asked the students to pair up, look the other in the eye and tell the other a truth. Then he asked them to look each other in the eye and say ‘I see me in you’. Barriers clattered to the floor like confetti at a wedding. There were tears and hugs as it began to dawn on these youngsters that they are connected at a heart and spirit level and not by status, looks, colour, or clothes.

In the Gospel story, both Jairus and the woman seek out Jesus from their own place in society. Jesus responds to both with love and compassion and both are not only healed but made well. Mind, body, spirit and heart are brought into alignment with the love of God.

This image of healing and wellness has added a layer to what makes a family of faith, a church, worship vital. Michael Lindvall offers this thought, which I agree with. “We are, in fact, shaped and made human in relationship to other persons. Our relationships: in the church, in friendships and in marriage, are not just something extra added on to life for distractions and entertainment, as if we would be complete human beings in individual isolation. Relationship, ‘touch’ if you will, makes us human and whole. As the contemporary Scottish philosopher John Macmurray on phrase it, ‘I need you in order to be myself’.”

For me and I hope for us, all this starts because we started seeking Jesus and have never stopped. Amen.