By Rev. Stephen Blackmore
Two men rent a canoe and go fishing in a remote part of a lake. They are having an excellent day, catching a bunch of fish. One man says, “Man, we need to mark this spot. We’re tearing ’em up!” The other man takes out his pocketknife and starts carving a big X in the bottom of the canoe.
“What are you doing?” asks the first man.
“I’m marking our spot, like you said!”
“You idiot! How do you know we’ll get the same canoe next time?!”
I hope that you are finding rest and refreshment this summer – perhaps out on a lake or stream while casting out. In the gospel today, Jesus takes his disciples out on the water, hoping to take a needed reprieve from the demanding crowds. The reading as we heard it, contains the introduction, and the ending, of very busy missional activity. In the first section, 6:30-34, we move back into the present after the ‘flashback’ recalling the death of John the Baptist.
Jesus had sent out the disciples among the towns and villages to proclaim the good news of the kingdom and demonstrate God’s favour through healings and miracles. The disciples returned to Jesus, bringing their exciting reports. Jesus invites them into a retreat where they can catch their breath and find spiritual refreshment. The crowds, however, have other ideas. Their hungry, needy hearts and broken bodies press them towards Jesus. But rather than being annoyed with this interruption, Jesus had compassion on them – for they were ‘as sheep without a shepherd.’ So, he remained and taught them many things.
In the following paragraphs (which we didn’t read today) we hear how Jesus miraculously feeds this gathering of 5000 plus. Then we hear of how the disciples get caught in a storm in the middle of the lake when their Lord comes running to them on the water. These two miracles flabbergast the disciples – Jesus has proven himself to be Lord of creation, the king of Culinary, and the Sheep-loving Shepherd who would do anything for his flock.
And now, in the second section of today’s gospel reading, Jesus and the disciples cross the lake to the area of Gennesaret. The people rushed to meet them, and we are told that wherever Jesus went, "into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed." The word for marketplace is agora: the centre of political, commercial, and religious life in Jesus’ day. This is where hungry people went to purchase food, where the destitute could beg for scraps. This is the place where the wealthy exploited the poor and where politicians, like the murderous Herod we read about last week, made empty promises. It was a public space in which legal hearings, elections, and debates took place, in addition to the buying and selling of goods. It was a place where people talked shop and caught up with neighbours. It was the place where the people gathered.
Here the people laid the broken at the feet Jesus. The ‘broken’ bodies of the sick represented all the brokenness of their society – religion that oppressed rather than enriched, an economy that exploited rather than supported, a politic that was corrupt rather than equitable. The mission of Jesus took him here - to the place where the people were, and this place was transformed by God’s presence. One preacher put it this way,
By healing the sick, the weakest and most vulnerable members of a community, in this space, Jesus is subverting the economy of this world through the very inauguration of God's kingdom economy. While the marketplaces of the world belong to the rich and powerful, in the kingdom of God this most political and commercial of spaces is occupied by those with the least. In the age to come, Jesus proclaims, "many who are first will be last, and the last will be first" (Mark 10:31). That age is now breaking into this age; we who seek to live God's kingdom here and now must follow Jesus's subversion of worldly power and wealth.[1]
Two things about what I just said. Firstly, Jesus’ healing actions are characteristic of the breaking in of God’s kingdom – but we need to be careful about what we understand constitutes Jesus’ works of healing. It’s important to see that these physical miracles are not symbolic of spiritual healing, but that the two go together. Jesus is concerned with human flourishing: in soul, body, mind, and in the community.
However, those in need of healing are not ‘lesser than’ others. Healing stories like this one can lead to ableist interpretations that present these folks as ‘abnormal’ in contrast with ‘normal’ healthy human beings. I read an interesting article during my studies that speaks about this – it is from the perspective of a theologian who has a significant physical disability. This person tends to read these stories of speaking to the whole person and their place in the community rather than the alleviation of symptoms or infirmity.
These folks are particularly susceptible to the dangerous idea that healing requires the individual’s faith – and thus a lack of healing implies a lack of faith or some hidden sin. In this passage, there is no mention of faith on the part of those receiving healing – it is the free gift of Jesus to those desiring wholeness. These folks will get sick again one day and die – but on this day the light of Christ shines brightly upon them and transforms their entire being.
Secondly, God’s kingdom not only transforms people, but it can transform places, like the agora, as well. I know of a city on an island in the Caribbean where alcoholism was once rampant. When a significant spiritual renewal broke out amongst the people in that town, taverns literally closed up shop and churches sprouted up in their spaces in their stead. I know of a building in the heart of Toronto, where in years past it had been used as a brothel. Now it houses a group of Jesuits that live in Christian community together and go out into the world as bearers of God’s grace.
This is the kingdom breaking into this world at – can you see it? Where are the agora’s in our society: the shopping malls, schools, office buildings, parks? Is not God calling us to be lights of his presence in these places? What might that look like?
I used to be a part of things like the ‘March for Jesus’ in the 90’s, and my youth group used to go downtown Guelph on Friday nights and pray in the city square in a large circle. We believed these outwardly pious acts would be a witness to others in need of Christ. Maybe they did some good – but these days I see Christ as being present in movements that promote the wellbeing of all peoples – especially of those people groups that have been traditionally marginalized. I see Christ in Pride Marches, like the one held in Milton this past week. I see Christ in political movements to halt quarries that would destroy natural habitats and in resistance to green belt development that would profit wealthy developers (and their political friends) and that reduces our ability to produce food and for the land to handle heavy rains like those we’ve experienced this week. I even see Christ at work when unions fight for equitable rights – I do say equitable, and not necessarily excessive or disproportionate benefits that can happen from time to time.
Where do you see the light of Christ’s kingdom breaking into the world to lift the hearts, minds, bodies, and souls of all people? Can you offer it in your day-to-day conversations – being a listening ear to neighbours and friends who are hurting? Can you offer prayer and support and solidarity with those who are struggling? Can you speak kind words to a sales clear after they just had to deal with an unruly customer? Can you make calls to those you know are having a hard time connecting with others? Is there a cause tugging on your heart that you can get involved with?
I believe today’s gospel invites us to consider the ways we might, as individuals, and as a church, shine amongst the people of our community. And please, if you have any ideas as to how we might better be doing this at St. George’s, let me know!
We are salt for the earth, a light on the hill, a seed of the word, a blessed and a pilgrim people. Let us bring forth the kingdom of mercy, peace, justice – in the name of our God. Amen.
[1] Elizabeth Webb. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-16-2/commentary-on-mark-630-34-53-56-3
Commentaires