Sermon for Proper 18 B (RCL), offered by Nathan Ferrell at Church of the Holy Spirit, Bellmawr & St. Luke’s, Westville, NJ
Texts: Proverbs 22:1-2,8-9,22-23; Ps 125; James 2:1-17; Mark 7:24-37
She lived without hope. Her daughter, the joy of her life, the foundation for the future, was ill – very ill. The local healers could not identify the cause; none of their salves or herb mixtures helped her in any way. People said she had a demon, that a spirit had invaded her body and taken it over for some unknown, evil purpose. So she struggled on, hoping against hope for some opportunity for help.
She heard about him in the marketplace. People spoke about this healer with hope. They thought that this teacher from Galilee might be different than the others. When she heard it whispered a few days later that he was there in her very own town, staying at the house of the local carpenter, she made her decision. She had nothing to lose. Her daughter was getting worse by the day. She went to the house. The gate was closed, but that was not going to stop her. She pushed it open and quietly walked through. She saw him walking in the courtyard. It is hard to say how she knew that he was the teacher, but she could tell right away. Others were there also. The local carpenter. His family. Some noticed her now and began to ask why she was there. Who was she? But she didn’t notice any of them, only him. She ran to him, all of her fears and hopes colliding in a sea of unruly emotion. She fell at his feet and begged. She didn’t even remember his name. She just cried and begged for her daughter to be well once again. She never remembered exactly what she said to him. She only remembered feeling desperate and lost, like teetering on the edge of a cliff, about to fall into despair.
She had never felt love before in this way – like a wave of compassion had just splashed up on her face. It came the moment that he said these words to her: “You may go.” You may go. The demon has left your daughter.
There is no way to explain it, but somehow she knew immediately that it was true. That he was true. That he spoke the truth. That her life had just changed forever, just like that (snap). It was absurd, crazy, but she knew it was true.
When the townsfolk heard about this healing miracle, and all of the other wonders that this teacher from Nazareth had done, they were astounded beyond measure. Dumbfounded. Awestruck. And so the people said, “He has done everything well!”
Texts: Proverbs 22:1-2,8-9,22-23; Ps 125; James 2:1-17; Mark 7:24-37
She lived without hope. Her daughter, the joy of her life, the foundation for the future, was ill – very ill. The local healers could not identify the cause; none of their salves or herb mixtures helped her in any way. People said she had a demon, that a spirit had invaded her body and taken it over for some unknown, evil purpose. So she struggled on, hoping against hope for some opportunity for help.
She heard about him in the marketplace. People spoke about this healer with hope. They thought that this teacher from Galilee might be different than the others. When she heard it whispered a few days later that he was there in her very own town, staying at the house of the local carpenter, she made her decision. She had nothing to lose. Her daughter was getting worse by the day. She went to the house. The gate was closed, but that was not going to stop her. She pushed it open and quietly walked through. She saw him walking in the courtyard. It is hard to say how she knew that he was the teacher, but she could tell right away. Others were there also. The local carpenter. His family. Some noticed her now and began to ask why she was there. Who was she? But she didn’t notice any of them, only him. She ran to him, all of her fears and hopes colliding in a sea of unruly emotion. She fell at his feet and begged. She didn’t even remember his name. She just cried and begged for her daughter to be well once again. She never remembered exactly what she said to him. She only remembered feeling desperate and lost, like teetering on the edge of a cliff, about to fall into despair.
She had never felt love before in this way – like a wave of compassion had just splashed up on her face. It came the moment that he said these words to her: “You may go.” You may go. The demon has left your daughter.
There is no way to explain it, but somehow she knew immediately that it was true. That he was true. That he spoke the truth. That her life had just changed forever, just like that (snap). It was absurd, crazy, but she knew it was true.
When the townsfolk heard about this healing miracle, and all of the other wonders that this teacher from Nazareth had done, they were astounded beyond measure. Dumbfounded. Awestruck. And so the people said, “He has done everything well!”
This is the Gospel story, my friends. This is our Gospel truth. Can you say what the people said then? Can we say it today?
Let’s try it together: HE HAS DONE EVERYTHING WELL !
Now, I want to be honest with you. (Hopefully I always am!) I am learning how to say this. “He has done everything well.” It does not roll easily off of my lips.
Not that I lack faith or trust in our Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior of the world. But the truth is that I am not sure what to expect from God in this life.
What do these healing miracles from the Gospels mean for us today? Can we expect to receive the same kind of healing touch from the Lord when we are ill or injured or malformed or diseased in some way?
The Church has struggled with this question for nearly all of her existence. Does God intervene in human lives now in the same way as it happened in the Scriptures?
By faith, I know that the answer to this question is a resounding YES! God does not change. The Holy Spirit has not changed. And yet, there is so much suffering in the world. So many strong Christian people die terrible deaths and suffer from horrible diseases. Some who pray and ask are healed. I believe this. But so many others are not.
It is difficult; no, it is impossible to understand. I don’t think any of us should cling blindly to easy clichés and trite epithets. It is difficult to know what to expect from God in this life.
What God chooses to do or not do is, as they say, “beyond my pay grade.” When God intervenes in human lives and when God chooses not to is all beyond my control or your control.
What IS in my control is how I respond to the realities of life that God brings my way. For what shows the true inner character of a person is not so much how they act, but how they react. How will you and I react to the needs of those in our community who need healing of the body, the mind and the spirit?
I believe that, in addition to the power of the Holy Spirit which can bring healing on any level to a human being, in addition to this, God brings healing directly through the touch of other people. I believe that the gifts of science, medicine and technology are wonderful tools that God uses to bring healing into people’s lives.
And maybe that is why miraculous healing is much more common among the poor of the world, because these folks whom God loves have far less access to these other gifts that are so common to us in the developed world.
And maybe this is why the Scriptures continually call us to reach out in love to those who are less fortunate than ourselves, to share our gifts with the poor.
The Letter of James drives this point home like a sledgehammer.
“Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?” (James 2:5).
“You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’”(James 2:8).
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works?” (James 2:14).
I do not know how or when God chooses to heal people. I know that our Lord Jesus cares for each and every one of us. I know that his compassion is boundless and unlimited, and that when we cry out to him, he hears us. I do not know why our requests for help and healing are sometimes left unanswered.
Let’s try it together: HE HAS DONE EVERYTHING WELL !
Now, I want to be honest with you. (Hopefully I always am!) I am learning how to say this. “He has done everything well.” It does not roll easily off of my lips.
Not that I lack faith or trust in our Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior of the world. But the truth is that I am not sure what to expect from God in this life.
What do these healing miracles from the Gospels mean for us today? Can we expect to receive the same kind of healing touch from the Lord when we are ill or injured or malformed or diseased in some way?
The Church has struggled with this question for nearly all of her existence. Does God intervene in human lives now in the same way as it happened in the Scriptures?
By faith, I know that the answer to this question is a resounding YES! God does not change. The Holy Spirit has not changed. And yet, there is so much suffering in the world. So many strong Christian people die terrible deaths and suffer from horrible diseases. Some who pray and ask are healed. I believe this. But so many others are not.
It is difficult; no, it is impossible to understand. I don’t think any of us should cling blindly to easy clichés and trite epithets. It is difficult to know what to expect from God in this life.
What God chooses to do or not do is, as they say, “beyond my pay grade.” When God intervenes in human lives and when God chooses not to is all beyond my control or your control.
What IS in my control is how I respond to the realities of life that God brings my way. For what shows the true inner character of a person is not so much how they act, but how they react. How will you and I react to the needs of those in our community who need healing of the body, the mind and the spirit?
I believe that, in addition to the power of the Holy Spirit which can bring healing on any level to a human being, in addition to this, God brings healing directly through the touch of other people. I believe that the gifts of science, medicine and technology are wonderful tools that God uses to bring healing into people’s lives.
And maybe that is why miraculous healing is much more common among the poor of the world, because these folks whom God loves have far less access to these other gifts that are so common to us in the developed world.
And maybe this is why the Scriptures continually call us to reach out in love to those who are less fortunate than ourselves, to share our gifts with the poor.
The Letter of James drives this point home like a sledgehammer.
“Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?” (James 2:5).
“You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’”(James 2:8).
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works?” (James 2:14).
I do not know how or when God chooses to heal people. I know that our Lord Jesus cares for each and every one of us. I know that his compassion is boundless and unlimited, and that when we cry out to him, he hears us. I do not know why our requests for help and healing are sometimes left unanswered.
But I do know this: God has chosen us to be healers. God has chosen us – as the body of Christ – to be vessels filled with healing grace for those in need around us, whether that need be for physical healing, emotional comfort, mental healing, or spiritual renewal.
We are the body of Christ today. He lives in us and through us. Therefore we have a high calling, and a great responsibility. Many of you will remember the famous poem penned by that Doctor of the Church, St. Teresa of Avila, written to inspire the baptized for action:
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
There is nothing trite or cute or quaint or meek about this calling. Into a hurting world, we are sent by the living God. It is a difficult path, at time a dangerous one, but it is the life into which you and I were baptized. And so today, may the Holy Spirit inspire us anew with boldness and courage to be the healing hands of Christ in this time and place. Amen.
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