060212

February 12, 2006

by Jane Clarke

I know that it is hard to sit and listen to scripture and then try to understand what it is all about. This story from 1 Kings has great aspects to it. It is a story with political intrigue, supernatural events, wealth and power, and a real plot turner and guaranteed hook; the humbling of arrogance, watching the mighty brought low. What a cast of characters this story has – a desperate and foolish protagonist, wise servants, a faithful young girl, a clueless king and a prophet of God. You can imagine this story being told with relish down through the ages.

God does not seem at all interested in theatrics or in impressing the powerful. In fact, if you take this story, add the nativity stories and the stories Jesus told, you could say that when it came to wealth, position and power God is more than unimpressed; God is downright subversive. It doesn’t matter that kings are talking, it doesn’t matter that emissaries arrive with all the trappings of power. God’s healing power and God’s grace take no account of them. For those of us without wealth, prestige, and power – and in a global context (and today is there any other?) this story offers an opportunity for repentance and freedom. The love and grace of God is so freely given and so abundant that no special rituals are required. That divine is within each of us. We call it our soul and can call upon it at any time.

Mark has what writers sometimes call “drag” or “handles,” parts of the text that actually slow down the pace of the plot and hint at complexity and sub-plots within the story.

When the leper in this part of the story says to Jesus, “If you choose,” it makes us ask the question, why does he say this? Does he doubt Jesus’ willingness? In the New Interpreters Bible, the author suggests that this statement is an ancient prayer formula. Does the leprous man know or sense that Jesus is somehow connected to God? The reader is invited to ponder Jesus’ identity.

So we have two stories both about healing. One is a healing for a commander who thinks because he has money, status and the king behind him that he deserves this. The other by a person who has been cast out of society because of his illness and he feels that his healing depends on a person of power. These are two very interesting stories and they both deal with power and healing. One may wonder how these two go together. I know I did as I mulled over this for a couple of days.

Both stories are about leprosy and people wanting a healing. One person is a commander of an army whose name is Naaman. The other is a person who has been cast out of society because of his illness, has no power and he is given no name. Both received a healing.

If I said to you today that there was this man walking around in a robe and sandals and he healed me what would you say? Of if I told you that I dunked myself in the S. Saskatchewan River 7 times and was healed? I’m just guessing you might tell me I was crazy!!!! That healing won’t last! It’s all emotional. Where did this kook come from?

In fact we do receive healing from alternative kinds of medical services. Some people choose holistic medicine along with traditional. Some people go to other countries to search for ways to heal themselves.

I find it interesting how we are always looking for ways to be made whole. Our bodies and our minds want to be well and I believe that given the chance this can happen. The problem today is that we have so much stress and pressure in our lives that we don’t take the time to listen to that still small voice inside us.

When we look at the miracles in the bible most of them happen quickly. I wonder why that is not so anymore. I have read that there were many healers, in Jesus’ time it was a normal everyday occurrence.

Healing is a topic that always causes much discussion. We can be healed physically but if we aren’t well mentally and spiritually the physical healing doesn’t last. We need to be whole in body, mind and spirit. It sounds so simple when we say it but to put it into practice isn’t so simple.

We all know what food is good to eat and the foods which we ought not to eat too much of. We know that we should exercise and keep fit. We know that we should meditate and pray daily to get in touch with the divine within. The rub is that we know all this but how many of us actually do this? I know there are some who do and I admire them and strive to be like them.

Life is full of choices as to how we want to live. If we want healing and wholeness we know what we have to do.

I have learned that 98% of illness is caused by our mental state and 2% by diet. It seems that as long as we look healthy we think we are healthy. But what about what is inside us? When we meet someone we ask how they are. Do we really mean it? What if they tell us how they are? Do we care?

The pat answer is fine or pretty good. Society has taught us to not share what is really going on in our lives. As a community of faith is this not the one place that we ought to be able to share our hurts and sorrows? I know that I hesitate to talk about my problems.

Have you ever experienced a time when you have been feeling down and you haven’t talked to anyone about what is bothering you? What happens? Does the problem grow (snowballs?) And when you eventually talk about it does it seem more manageable or more clear about what you should do?

There is a story for children called “The Hurt” in the Episcopal curriculum. It’s about the hurt a youngster experienced when his best friend called him a “pig-nosed punk.” He kept the hurt in his bedroom, where the hurt grew and grew until it pushed him out of his own room. Eventually, he was able to speak with his dad and tell the hurt. And suddenly, the hurt grew small, and finally it went away. He opened the window and the hurt went out.

It is important to talk about what is bothering us. It is part of the healing process. The part about making the mind, body and spirit healthy together. The men from the stories today had the courage to talk about their illness.

In scripture much of the time when Jesus has healed someone he says to them repent and be healed. Repent means to turn around. There is an action for us to do to be healed and whole. We are to do something differently after an illness of any kind.

Some people choose different avenues of healing. Holistic modalities for instance. Some pooh, pooh the idea of this type of medicine but it has been successful for many. It would be great if our medical and holistic doctors worked together for the good of all.

Sometimes we become judgmental when we hear of people being healed by other than the medical field.

There are people in our congregation who have tried or are trying different methods of healing and wholeness. There is a meditation group that meets at the church once a week to help people get in touch with their spirituality. There are people who teach or are learning about natural medicine. There are those who have looked into physic healing. None of these modes heals on the spot. There is always work to do on our part. We have free will and choice to do with our lives what we want.

God is always wanting what is best for us but God does not impose will on us to do anything. God waits patiently for us to make a choice. God wants for us to live life with love, truth, honesty, humility and gratitude. If we live that way then we ought not hold onto our hurts because we want to show gratitude to our bodies, minds and spirits and let that all go. We want to show gratitude to our bodies by what we eat.

My quest is to try and live these five elements. It sounds simple but is not all that easy to put into practice. I will not give up trying though.

Jesus showed us to live this way and I believe that Jesus achieved his goal. That is why Jesus could do and say the things he did; he was so in tune with divine within him that it was easy for him to love and serve and live in peace and harmony with those around him and with himself.

So then like Naaman and the leper in today’s stories there are many lessons. The lesson I have taken for today is that to live in health and wholeness we must first ask for what we need. I believe that each of us knows deep down what to do. The other thing for me is not to be judgmental when dealing with other’s healings and how that happens. We can learn a lot if we are open and willing.

So for those of us who need healing and wholeness let us learn to live the five elements of life, love, truth, honesty, humility and gratitude and be honest enough to ask for what we need for ourselves. If we don’t look after ourselves what good are we to others?

Do we dare to ask for what we need like Naaman and the leper? Amen.