Proper 25(B) [RCL], October 25, 2009
Leslie C. Ferguson, Seminarian
Job 42: 1-6, 10-17; Psalm 13; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 10:46-52
How long, O Lord? will you forget me forever? *
How long will you hide your face from me?
Psalm 13:1, BCP
How long? I have spoken this phrase more than I care to admit and the story related by the Psalmist and echoed in the gospel this morning hits close to home. Many may not know but I have been afflicted with a “mild to profound sensorineural hearing loss” for over 18 years. A long time ago I experienced spiritual healing. The irony is I believed that I would get my hearing back but after my pastor laid hands on me my hearing level actually got worse. I was disappointed but I plugged on, but with a self-generated hole inside because of my hearing loss. However, I came to realize that I was profoundly healed in this situation because I was “forced” to listen with my soul and not just go through the motions with people. The hole I created was filled by an overwhelming realization of the presence of God in my life. My healing has led me to focus my efforts on helping others become aware of the presence and providence of God in their lives.
But, this sermon isn’t about me; this sermon is about Bartimaeus, Jesus, and the crowds of people in Jericho. This sermon is about the healing that took place on that eventful day and how that healing applies to our current social situation.
We may remember that God’s law to the Israelites is summed up by “love your neighbor as yourself” yet today’s passage shows Israel not loving one of their own; they are not living in community with, or being hospitable or welcoming to Bartimaeus. I wonder how long it took Israel to become a nation that felt empowered to exclude a disabled person like Bartimaeus. At the beginning of today’s story we see that Bartimaeus is treated worse than a Gentile – he is placed squarely outside the margin in society. And yet, Bartimaeus interacts with Jesus and in his desperation he turns to his one last hope and is miraculously healed of his blindness and returned to an “acceptable” status.
Since our country’s beginning we have been a place where people came to overcome oppression and tyrannical governments. Yet throughout our national history we systemically oppressed and marginalized classes of people, often with our government’s support or at least its silent consent. Sadly this statement shouldn’t be a shock but in 21st century America there are still people who are marginalized. There are people who are systemically marginalized for the same reasons they’ve always been: race or ethnic heritage; religion or lack thereof; social status; economic status; employment status; or worse, just because they are different than our image of the norm. I must say that it is our nature, as creatures of God, to gather in groups that are alike or else we wouldn’t be humans or our animals wouldn’t be herds and flocks. Yet our quest for those who are like us sets us up as a society that excludes people for any number of “justifiable” reasons. It’s been said that both oppressor and oppressed like to be separated and affiliated with those who are just like themselves; because we feel there IS security in knowing that everyone around us is living in the same conditions (more or less) we are. Misery loves company. This isn’t right as I know it, it’s just how we are; not how we should be. But how do we change the way we are wired? What can we do to not exclude the “other?” I think today’s gospel message holds a key.
Today’s gospel is one of healing. There is the obvious healing event, Bartimaeus had his sight miraculously restored, and he was healed of the thing that separated him from the rest of society. But I see another healing of sorts in the story. Prior to Jesus’ arrival on the scene and while Bartimaeus was ignoring the crowd’s order to be quiet, Bartimaeus was an outcast, broken from society, invisible to the folks in the “in crowd.” But Jesus does more for Bartimaeus than just heal his sight, he returned him from the margin and invited him back to the road, to become a member of the society and walk with the Disciples and Jesus. By his invitation Jesus did more than just restore Bartimaeus’ sight; Jesus restored the sight and perception of the society; he made them acknowledge and recognize the marginalized person in their midst. He caused them to stop and remember the one who they had so easily forgot.
By his action, Jesus served as a bridge in the gap between the “ins” and the “outs.” He claimed a place in society for the one systemically excluded by prejudice and intolerance. He helped heal the rift that had been created in the society; the condition that allowed the Israelites to discriminate against Bartimaeus. Jesus helped fill the hole that had been created in the fabric of the community, not just the visible needs of one like Bartimaeus but the unspoken need of all the people in the Jewish society. Jesus helped create a community that better demonstrated God’s command to love one’s neighbor as oneself; regardless of their apparent sin or separation from the “ideal” of God’s kingdom on earth.
So what? This is a nice story for the Israelites; we want to believe the story has applicability for places in our world that continue to discriminate or oppress others who aren’t like them. “But not in our United States.” Yet, it struck me last weekend, when I was driving to Reston for the homelessness walk that I wasn’t going to have many issues on Saturday, even though it was raining cats and dogs and cold. Then the gravity of what I was doing set in; I was fully prepared for the weather: Gore Tex, multiple layers, and a rain coat; yet I almost forgot the people I was walking for – those who would be struggling in those same conditions because they didn’t have my stuff. They were beyond the margin in our society. When I read the Psalm for this week the image from last Saturday haunted me: I had found the marginalized in our life; I found my sight that had been missing.
But what is the challenge for us at St. Anne’s? We do a lot already. But first and foremost, we need to live the instituted by Embry Rucker at St. Anne’s over 40 years ago. But that’s not enough, we cannot rest on our past, we have to continue to move the message of God forward into our community and our world. We must consciously look for those people who are marginalized by our city, nation, and world. We cannot assume that if we don’t see them they aren’t there. We have to call into our faith community and our society all people, especially those who are or have been systemically marginalized. We must continue to be an advocate for healing in our society in our outreach ministries like: the Homelessness walk; in FACETS; our participation with Reston Interfaith; our national and international mission trips; and the assistance for the underprivileged in our midst. We need to continue to live out the good news of God’s salvation through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ until all people are liberated from oppression.
All people need healing of one type or another. God heals all people, not always in ways we see immediately not always in ways we expect but God is always present to heal our lives. God heals all wounds and infirmities – some take more time and patience than others. We participate in God’s healing of all by searching for God’s presence in ourselves and all people in our midst. We participate by witnessing to God’s providential interaction with all humanity. Then, and only then, can we bring true healing to our world. Then, and only then, will we be healed of our brokenness. Then, and only then, can we be made spiritually whole.
In faith, let it not be “How long?” Rather, let it be… Amen!
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