5 OTB.12; Job 7:1-7; 1Cor 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39
Yes, it’s Super-Bowl Sunday! One team will win. One team will lose. Some folks will be ecstatic chowing down on BBQ & Suds at the tailgate bistros! Some folks weep & walk away dejected.
Who’s for the Giants?, Patriots?.
More seriously … this describes Human Life.
It describes the Mystery of Suffering.
Enter one Jesus of Nazareth. In Mark’s apocalyptic style he has the evil spirits recognize Jesus (or so they think), “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? Jesus rebuked them Quiet! Come out of him! .... and so it happened. Mk 1:24-28 They are expecting the traditional Divine Warrior with a strong arm. They falsely believe, as many Christians today, that the Son of God is a figure of power who is able & willing to do battle with the evil spirits & defeat them. Yet, Mark reveals a very different Messiah. One who takes on our world as it is, who walks in our own flesh, who by submission & weakness fulfills the will of God. It is the transformation of evil & sin into grace & salvation.
Real engagement takes suffering seriously.
Real engagement takes hold of the pain with compassion & love.
Real engagement walks beside the person with gentle faith in Jesus who came to heal & serve, to enter into human suffering deeply & personally.
St. Gregory of Nyssa said,
“The power of God is capable of finding hope where hope no longer exists, and a way … where the way was impossible.”
Holocaust victim Anne Frank said, “Where there is hope, there is life.”
+Fr. Henry Nowen tells us how to be disciples of this Cross-bearing Messiah from Nazareth, “When we think about the people who have given us hope & have increased the strength of our souls, we might discover that they were not the wardens or moralists, but the few who were able to articulate in words & actions the human condition in which we participate & who encouraged us to face the realities of life. Those who do not run from our pains … but touch them with compassion bring healing & new strength.
The paradox is that the beginning of healing is in the solidarity with the pain. In our solution oriented society it is more important than ever to realize that wanting to alleviate pain without sharing it, is like wanting to save a child from a burning house without the risk of being hurt" (p. 43, Reaching Out).
Wednesday night I saw a program that featured a former poverty stricken gang member turned Ph.D in Sociology in Santa Barbara, CA. Dr. Victor Rios was able to turn around his life b/c of a former school teacher asked,
“What’s wrong Victor?” Through tears Victor replied, “Life is hard, no one cares!” His teacher embraced him. “I’m here for you, anytime.” Later, caught stealing tires with his homies, a police officer said, “Kid, I was just like you. I could run you in now. Take this break & if I see you again. That’s it. You go to jail for along time.” The compassion of these two people opened a door for Victor. Hope was found where none existed before.
A way was opened. Healing happened.
Today, Victor teaches & moonlights as a counselor for at-risk kids.
(Source: CNN News 2/1/12)
At this Liturgy of God’s Suffering for us, let us remember that the best response to our own suffering & the worlds is a simple, heartfelt hand to the one in need. When I am weak I am strong… Paul of Tarsus.
Yes, it’s Super-Bowl Sunday! One team will win. One team will lose. Some folks will be ecstatic chowing down on BBQ & Suds at the tailgate bistros! Some folks weep & walk away dejected.
Who’s for the Giants?, Patriots?.
More seriously … this describes Human Life.
It describes the Mystery of Suffering.
Job says it all, “So I have been assigned months of misery.” 7:3
Why do we suffer? The problem seems to implicate God. The argument goes: Because God allows horrific suffering, then God (if there is one) is either not all-good, not all-powerful or not all-knowing.
The response of Job’s friends is: you deserve to suffer! Ouch!
Enter one Jesus of Nazareth. In Mark’s apocalyptic style he has the evil spirits recognize Jesus (or so they think), “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? Jesus rebuked them Quiet! Come out of him! .... and so it happened. Mk 1:24-28 They are expecting the traditional Divine Warrior with a strong arm. They falsely believe, as many Christians today, that the Son of God is a figure of power who is able & willing to do battle with the evil spirits & defeat them. Yet, Mark reveals a very different Messiah. One who takes on our world as it is, who walks in our own flesh, who by submission & weakness fulfills the will of God. It is the transformation of evil & sin into grace & salvation.
It is the victory of a Cross, not a Sword.
Evil confuses violence (words/actions) with strength.
The lines between spiritual evil & physical evil had blurred in the time of Jesus. Physical illness was spiritual illness. Jesus conquerored evil at every level: physical, moral, & spiritual. Jesus enters the home of Simon-Peter. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever (Recall: in that time a fever was a life-threatening illness). They immediately told him about her. He grasped her hand, and helped her up (raised). Then the fever left her & she waited on (served) them. We need to look a little deeper into the words here. Raised up (Gk. egeiren) is the word for resurrection. Served (Gk. diekonei) is the word for Jesus’ own mission & what he expects of a disciple.
After being raised, we serve. This is how the kingdom works.
Now, we return to the fact that suffering is a part of human life. It is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to solve. Consider that from suffering we have experienced growth. Compassion is found in suffering.
Responding to suffering binds us together, powerfully.
Yet, horrific suffering exists & no human answer will ever explain it.
2 Perhaps what Scripture tells us is that suffering cannot be solved, but it can be skillfully addressed. Never blame the victim. Real engagement takes suffering seriously.
Real engagement takes hold of the pain with compassion & love.
Real engagement walks beside the person with gentle faith in Jesus who came to heal & serve, to enter into human suffering deeply & personally.
(Source: some ideas, America, 1/10-2/6. 12)
St. Gregory of Nyssa said,
“The power of God is capable of finding hope where hope no longer exists, and a way … where the way was impossible.”
Holocaust victim Anne Frank said, “Where there is hope, there is life.”
+Fr. Henry Nowen tells us how to be disciples of this Cross-bearing Messiah from Nazareth, “When we think about the people who have given us hope & have increased the strength of our souls, we might discover that they were not the wardens or moralists, but the few who were able to articulate in words & actions the human condition in which we participate & who encouraged us to face the realities of life. Those who do not run from our pains … but touch them with compassion bring healing & new strength.
The paradox is that the beginning of healing is in the solidarity with the pain. In our solution oriented society it is more important than ever to realize that wanting to alleviate pain without sharing it, is like wanting to save a child from a burning house without the risk of being hurt" (p. 43, Reaching Out).
Wednesday night I saw a program that featured a former poverty stricken gang member turned Ph.D in Sociology in Santa Barbara, CA. Dr. Victor Rios was able to turn around his life b/c of a former school teacher asked,
“What’s wrong Victor?” Through tears Victor replied, “Life is hard, no one cares!” His teacher embraced him. “I’m here for you, anytime.” Later, caught stealing tires with his homies, a police officer said, “Kid, I was just like you. I could run you in now. Take this break & if I see you again. That’s it. You go to jail for along time.” The compassion of these two people opened a door for Victor. Hope was found where none existed before.
A way was opened. Healing happened.
Today, Victor teaches & moonlights as a counselor for at-risk kids.
(Source: CNN News 2/1/12)
At this Liturgy of God’s Suffering for us, let us remember that the best response to our own suffering & the worlds is a simple, heartfelt hand to the one in need. When I am weak I am strong… Paul of Tarsus.