It's happened again.
It just keeps happening.
I've often joked recently that if I were the devil (which some people may assume that I am), here is what I would do. Anytime there was any piece of news or issue or potential opportunity for political dialogue, this is what I would do. I would immediately cast one side against the other. I would immediately try to make an enemy of the other and see if I couldn't cause both sides to circle the wagons in defense of a position, batting down the hatches and arming for war.
The strategy seems to be working pretty well. So, as I sat watching the Shakira and Jennifer Lopez on Sunday evening, I knew that it was only a matter of time before the two sides encountered one another and prepared for all out trench warfare. You know. Dig more deeply down into your position and lob some attacks at the other side.
That's how it goes.
And it creates this strong desire to protect those on the inside of our own circle.
But, there has to be another way, right?
Indeed. There is. And it is that way of loving humility that does what many people around me do every day: they get out of their trenches and bring such loving help and kindness to those who are hurting, who are suffering, and who have been deemed unworthy either by themselves or by others.
Today's Gospel reading includes the story of Jesus healing a woman with a hemorrhage for 12 years and touching a dead girl as he raises her to life (Mk. 5:21-43)
In her poem on these two healings, Sr. Miriam Pollard reminds us that in both instances Jesus was against a community standard. In both instances, he was foregoing his "ritual purity" under Jewish law. I would say he was intentionally stepping beyond his own circle in order to meet the humanity of the person before him.
"Both these women are outside,
outside the society to which they should have belonged,"
But then she asks, "Are they outside God?"
The answer is clear enough and full of good news. No, of course not. The heart of Jesus beats for those on the outside, for the rejected and unworthy.
"... what does Jesus do? He touches them.
Or let's himself be touched.
In his flesh,
he enters their land of desolation.
He becomes one with them in their state of rejection
and exclusion."
Beyond our ongoing, endless cultural battles, there are daily opportunities to leave behind our own security in order to love and befriend those truly in need.
It's been so encouraging recently to be in conversations with so a handful of people who are doing their best to reach beyond themselves to love.
Just today I heard of a husband and wife who reached beyond their own family to adopt and love a young boy from India.
I was able to hear about a woman who continues to reach out and take in young women whose lives have already had many trials and challenges.
And I saw a woman last week pull out her purse to pay for one of our daycare staff members' alternator, reaching out with charity and love in a bold, quiet way.
Not surprisingly, these people seemed radically alive to me. Not that this was easy, mind you. Oh no. Each of these efforts came with some definite costs and still will.
But, there is so much more life and joy to be had when we are reaching beyond our own circles and reaching out to the ones who are hurting, who are excluded, who have been deemed outsiders by the church or by the world around us.
Let us learn to love as fiercely and as boldly.
~Pastor Wes
It just keeps happening.
I've often joked recently that if I were the devil (which some people may assume that I am), here is what I would do. Anytime there was any piece of news or issue or potential opportunity for political dialogue, this is what I would do. I would immediately cast one side against the other. I would immediately try to make an enemy of the other and see if I couldn't cause both sides to circle the wagons in defense of a position, batting down the hatches and arming for war.
The strategy seems to be working pretty well. So, as I sat watching the Shakira and Jennifer Lopez on Sunday evening, I knew that it was only a matter of time before the two sides encountered one another and prepared for all out trench warfare. You know. Dig more deeply down into your position and lob some attacks at the other side.
That's how it goes.
And it creates this strong desire to protect those on the inside of our own circle.
But, there has to be another way, right?
Indeed. There is. And it is that way of loving humility that does what many people around me do every day: they get out of their trenches and bring such loving help and kindness to those who are hurting, who are suffering, and who have been deemed unworthy either by themselves or by others.
Today's Gospel reading includes the story of Jesus healing a woman with a hemorrhage for 12 years and touching a dead girl as he raises her to life (Mk. 5:21-43)
In her poem on these two healings, Sr. Miriam Pollard reminds us that in both instances Jesus was against a community standard. In both instances, he was foregoing his "ritual purity" under Jewish law. I would say he was intentionally stepping beyond his own circle in order to meet the humanity of the person before him.
"Both these women are outside,
outside the society to which they should have belonged,"
But then she asks, "Are they outside God?"
The answer is clear enough and full of good news. No, of course not. The heart of Jesus beats for those on the outside, for the rejected and unworthy.
"... what does Jesus do? He touches them.
Or let's himself be touched.
In his flesh,
he enters their land of desolation.
He becomes one with them in their state of rejection
and exclusion."
Beyond our ongoing, endless cultural battles, there are daily opportunities to leave behind our own security in order to love and befriend those truly in need.
It's been so encouraging recently to be in conversations with so a handful of people who are doing their best to reach beyond themselves to love.
Just today I heard of a husband and wife who reached beyond their own family to adopt and love a young boy from India.
I was able to hear about a woman who continues to reach out and take in young women whose lives have already had many trials and challenges.
And I saw a woman last week pull out her purse to pay for one of our daycare staff members' alternator, reaching out with charity and love in a bold, quiet way.
Not surprisingly, these people seemed radically alive to me. Not that this was easy, mind you. Oh no. Each of these efforts came with some definite costs and still will.
But, there is so much more life and joy to be had when we are reaching beyond our own circles and reaching out to the ones who are hurting, who are excluded, who have been deemed outsiders by the church or by the world around us.
Let us learn to love as fiercely and as boldly.
~Pastor Wes
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