Göttinger
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Nembach und Johannes Neukirch
14. Sonntag nach Trinitatis
September 5th 1999
Text: Mark 1: 40-45
Author: Christian Tegtmeier
| The end of the holidays and the beginning of school - a prominent phase in
our yearly rhythm, and countless calenders are full of important appointments
and dates. Much is done for the one or the other, more to the point, the change
from the free and self determining time to the organised is somewhat intense
and just as the first day of the holidays is specially prepared for and
planned, so we are conscious of the return to daily routine and the world of
activity, as the person of today wants to be fit to deal with his life. To be fit when he comes back from his holiday, fit for work and exertion that, for a long time has awaited him and wont go away. Fit in terms of having the strength to deal with parts of his life that he did not have any influence over but still has to take responsibilty for. Such changeovers are suited to the person whose good health equates with the ability to both cope with and solve their problems, to deal with their duties and responsibilities that they are saddled with by others. The person of today must be healthy and fit in order to stretch the limits of their possibilites, to know their own strengths and weaknesses and to be able to accept these without giving in. Who spares a thought about those who are not fit and healthy? Yesterday, many girls and boys attended a church service before school and took with them many blessings and good wishes. Where were the others, the sick and disabled, for whom there could also be a new beginning to life if only....? How do these people deal with changes in time and activities? What can they expect from us, we who are fit and healthy? What does faith in Jesus Christ give them or mean to them? Mark the evangelist tells us of a wonderful story: And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him and saying unto him, "if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him "I will: be thou clean" And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; And said unto him "See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter. How wonderful it would be if such occurences today could be so speedily and successfully dealt with: that people could be healed of their disabilities and illnesses through Jesus. That Jesus Christ, the reason for our faith, gives us cause to have new trust in Him and His Father. Unfortunately though, our human experiences and disappointments show us otherwise and yet the story of this healing is preached and told to us over again as a consolation for our faith. The person who was brought to the attention of Jesus suffered under a terrible illness, possibly the worst, namely leprosy. Whoever suffered from this disease, lived an unparalleled sad story of inner and outer distress and loneliness that a healthy person cannot even begin to imagine. For the afflicted, it meant, then, as indeed it still does now, that they were shunned by others whether it be relatives, friends or other people they met. Lepers rarely got the chance to speak to people, hardly anyone would shake their hand, and indeed the majority would flee their prescence. Who should they share their feelings and emotions with? With whom could they speak about their wishes and about the things that moved or upset them? Who wanted to listen to them and give them the kind of respect and recognition that you and I take for granted in our daily lives? For the Lepers, every contact is a sign of life, despite being painful. For them, every exchange of word, every bit of attention, that goes beyond a passing glance or a hasty word, is like a day of sunshine, a moment of happiness. And it would certainly be a comfort when the creed for goodness and mercy could prove itself by giving patience and support to the community, sowing respect and spreading hope so that he, as well as others that are healthy, but still afraid, can nevertheless belong to an open community, despite all differences; in other words only in the presence of people can one really see and understand the value of humanity. Jesus, provides the bridge that we all need in times of trouble. We beseech him to heal us and to make us healthy again. We are told that Jesus had mercy on the leper and wanted to heal his misery, it touched Him, that this person, who had suffered so much, had not given up hope and had begged Jesus to, if not heal his condition, at least to relieve it. Without fear of contact, Jesus who always sought the presence of the frail and infirm, directly laid His hands on him and whilst healing him, blessed him. Through this personal attention of an obliging and united friendly gesture, the community is open to Gods healing, they also share with the afflicted the love God has to them that call Him and pray to Him. Jesus did not ask the leper the reasons of how or where he got this desease, but spoke to him personally, as man to man. For me, this shows that Gods kingdom is in this community, and all of us, whether we be healthy or suffering, can be a part of it, provided that we can trust in Jesus, in a world that accepts and respects us all in the words of a hymn from Paul Gerhardt: "Praise the Lord, all who honour him... |
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