1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Mark 1:29-39
Reading "miracle stories" of Jesus'
mighty works are both easy - AND - challenging to navigate. They are easy
because these works are the hallmark of Jesus' ministry. They are what we
expect because He is, after all, the Messiah. These works define Him;
they demonstrate the power of the Holy God and legitimize Jesus’ claim as
Messiah. They are what make Him the manifestation of the “kingdom come
near”. And because these are written and contained "in the
Bible", Christians generally accept them “as is”.
There is nothing wrong with this except that
these stories are also somewhat challenging because there are few among us who
have actually witnessed healings and miracles on such a broad scale. With
the exception of certain TV faith healers, for instance, I have never witnessed
anyone go from zero to 60 in under 8 seconds with only a prayer and a palm on
the forehead; which may explain why I see such "performances" on TV
and think not very highly of them. These people are given the ability to
walk but are, ironically, sent straight to the floor and have to be helped back
up on their feet!! In fact I view these demonstrations with more than a
little cynicism because, quite frankly, the acting on the part of those
presenting themselves to be healed is, well, lousy.
This is not to say I do not believe the
stories of miraculous healings; not at all. Reading and hearing these
stories, however, requires something more from us than blind and unquestioned
acceptance. It is not unlike what was shared previously about trusting
one who claims prophetic authority to speak in the Lord's behalf; no one should
be accepted or rejected based only on how we may "feel" about the
situation, the message, or the person in question. It is about
"active engagement" and discerning the words spoken within the
biblical context, the context in which they are spoken, and who is ultimately
being lifted up; “testing the spirit” of what is being shared. In other
words, who - or what – finally becomes the center of attention?
I have heard stories from some people whom I
have known personally who truly believe in these television faith healers even
if they have never personally experienced them, and I find their
comments disturbing because of the emphasis that is placed on the faith healer
with the Lord relegated to secondary, if subservient status; as if the
Lord CANNOT act until or unless compelled to do so by these men and women who
claim to be faith healers. I wonder, then, if perhaps this very thing is
the reason why Jesus seemed always to ask that those who were healed by His
hand - and especially the demons who were cast out - to remain silent; to avoid
undue attention on Jesus Himself that would ultimately relegate the Holy Father
to secondary, or subservient status. Well, this depends on what we
think is happening in these moments.
"I have become all things to all people,
that I might by all means save some" (vs 22). I find St. Paul's words to the Corinthian church
disturbing on the one hand because I have long maintained, and still maintain,
that the Church as the Body of Christ can only be one thing and answer only to
one Authority - regardless of what society or the culture expect or
demand. To be "all things to all people" is, to me, to be
acting inconsistently and without any real sense of integrity. Indeed
would any among us trust someone who would say one thing and do another
depending on compelling circumstances?
On the other hand, we must acknowledge a
fundamental principle expressed by the apostle: the willingness to "bear
the burdens of another" by placing himself alongside those he intends to
offer the Gospel to; in other words, entering into their worlds in order to
lead them out and give them a reason to aspire to a higher realm.
This is an important perspective that must not be overlooked or underplayed because
it speaks of the necessity and willingness of the Church to go to great lengths
to make the Gospel of our Lord known as widely as possible.
In both instances, however, it is important to
keep a broad perspective in our own lives by recognizing that neither Jesus nor
Paul is doing anyone any "personal favors" even as each individual
instance is intensely personal to those who are being healed or otherwise
ministered to. We must recognize that something much greater has begun, and
I think it is this element in these miracle stories that is overlooked
especially in today's contemporary Christian "pop" culture that seems
intent on discrediting or dismantling "organized religion" in favor
of each individual's own chosen path (and sometimes trying to gain followers!)
rather than seeking the one, singular "narrow gate" Jesus teaches
about in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:13-14).
We often forget that throughout the entire
Bible - including the many so-called "lost books" - it is never about
the individual; it is entirely about the Lord, the Holy God, the
Creator, the Almighty … the Covenant Keeper. It is entirely about
His purposes and His Kingdom - and not our own. It is entirely about
faith in the Lord - and not in ourselves. It is about learning to feel good
about and having confidence in the Lord - not about feeling good about or
having confidence in ourselves. And this bothers the many who seem
determined to seek their own paths and find their own way because it is the
much easier path, the wider gate that deceptively promises "personal"
attention, "personal" choices, “personal” satisfaction, “personal” favors,
and ultimately "personal salvation". By this I mean to say that
when we choose that broad path and wide gate, we are pretty much on our own
because this is not where the Great Shepherd is leading us. He didn’t
take the “easy road”; why would we think we can do better than He?
So when Jesus stretches out His healing hand, He
is doing much more than simply making a “boo-boo” go away so that we can lead
happier and more satisfying lives. Each life, each soul is one more
“building block” laid against the Cornerstone that is Christ.
Before Simon’s mother-in-law was made well by
Jesus’ touch, she was probably already a “good” person – how many times have we
heard this line from the many who do not want to connect to, or be held
accountable by, a community of faith? – but whether she was a “good” person is
beside the point because she could only be good by her own merits. She
was certainly good enough for her daughter, good enough for Simon, good enough
for her culture; but before she could be good enough to serve the Lord, she had
to be made “worthy” and good enough to serve the Lord for the Lord’s purposes
of Kingdom-Building. The theological perspective requires that we
look closer so that we may fully understand Jesus’ much greater purpose in
making Simon’s mother-in-law well.
The rich man in Matthew 19 was probably a
“good” person by cultural standards, but he walked away when told by Jesus what
is really required of discipleship. The rich man was “personally”
satisfied with all he had and with all he had done, but following Jesus in such
a drastic and dramatic way was simply not his choice. He rejected his
place in the Lord’s greater purpose of building a community of faith and chose
his own path instead. He walked away because he was more comfortable to live
according to his own terms. Make no mistake;
this passage is not an indictment against the so-called 1%. This is a clear indictment against ANY who have
anything of this world they are unwilling to part with for the sake of the kingdom
of heaven!!
There were ten lepers who came to Jesus to be
healed (Luke 17) and even though they were all equally healed by Jesus,
only one among these ten returned to offer himself to the Lord. The rest
took their blessing and ran off on their own path to live their own lives and
do their own “thang”. They
"took", but they were unwilling to "give" even an ounce.
The third servant in the parable of the talents
(Matthew 25) had been entrusted by the master with something of immeasurable
value, but he failed to do anything with it for the master. Because of
his complacency, neglect, and self-concern he was cast “into outer darkness”
and separated from his master’s household; useless in the Lord's intent to
"build" the kingdom.
Each story, each instance, each individual;
though personally touched, was intended for something much greater than
self-satisfaction or self-determination. The Kingdom of Heaven was – and
still is - being gathered one “building block” at a time, but it is still about
the glory of the Holy Father, His kingdom, and His terms – not our own.
We are given much when the Lord stretches out His Mighty Hand but, like the
third servant in the parable of the talents, we are expected to do something
for the Kingdom with what has been entrusted to our care - not bury it.
We are given much so that we may give
much. We are blessed so that we may bless more still. And this all
comes by the Lord’s own good grace for His own good purpose: to lead His
beloved Church home where we belong.
In the name of the Holy Father, the Holy Son,
the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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