2/7 - We are part of God’s work of loving the world

For nigh on 47 years, my father was a physician – just retired.
His dad was a vet – large and farm animal –
and my dad went on many a call with his father when he was a kid.
Dad fell in love with helping and healing,
but when the time came to choose career,
chose healing people rather than animals as his call and vocation.

One aspect my dad liked best about being a doctor –
but one he didn’t get to do very much –
was making house calls.
First of all, in the Navy, one didn’t get much of a chance
unless you count the infirmary on the ships
since it WAS in the midst of a gigantic home for lots of sailors!
Then, our health care system isn’t conducive anymore to house calls.
But, when he left the Navy and went into private practice,
he intentionally chose to move to a small town and rural area
so that he could visit people in their homes sometimes.

This is a style of doctoring and healing that just isn’t done much nowadays,
but in Jesus’ day, the healer might just have stopped by.
______________

In the first part of our Gospel for today, Jesus does just that: stops by.
We don’t know if Simon told Jesus and the others about his mother in law and that’s why they stopped by,
Or, if Simon and the guys just came over to the house after worship
for snacks or an evening chat
and THEN discovered Simon’s mother in law sick with a fever.

Whichever, or for some other reason,
Jesus is there.
Jesus heals Simon’s mother in law.
It’s nothing particularly dramatic,
but he holds her hand and lifts her up (not levitating!!)
And she is made well.
So much so, in fact, that she gets back to her work and daily life
as though she hadn’t just been laid up with a fever
(which, in a day and age of no vaccinations or antibiotics,
could have been VERY serious!)
just moments before!

Later in the day, after this healing in a private home,
people bring all kinds of sick people to Jesus:
the physically ill and the demon possessed (mentally/spiritually ill)
They turn Simon’s house and courtyard into a free clinic!

And Jesus heals.
Despite the number of people.
Despite Jesus’ long day
(remember, he’d not only healed Simon’s mother in law,
but the man possessed by the demon,
the story we heard about in last week’s gospel.
That happened JUST before Simon, Jesus, and the gang
went home and found Simon’s MiL sick with a fever).
Jesus meets all these people (and their loved ones)
exactly where they need him.

Jesus gives healing,
shows compassion,
and gives hope.
Jesus is there for the crowds.

[singing]  [YouTube version of the tune is at the end of this post]
In the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise,
give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
give me Jesus!
You may have all the rest,
give me Jesus.
__________________________


Have you not heard?
Have you not known?

The people who’d been living in the darkness of exile,
and in a foreign land (foreign language, foreign everything!)
were getting foggy of memory.

They were forgetting.
Forgot what God had done for them.
Forgot the promises God had made and kept.
Forgot that the source of their whole lives was – God!

So, Isaiah the prophet reminds them.
Reminds them of the promises God made and kept.
Reminds them of their own history and story,
and God’s part of that.
Reminds them that they are not alone or lost – even now.

As this exile is coming to an end
and they are going to pack up to head back to their homeland,
Isaiah reminds them of the work of God.

Keep in mind, it had been 40 years of exile.
A whole generation of people had died
(and with them the memory of what it had been like)
and a whole new generation of people had been born
(who had no idea what “homeland” was about).
The collective memory of home and of who God was --> “Thin”

People were weary, they were heartsick
and as they thought about the return –
-- the great and glorious return long dreamed of –
they started to remember all of the work and rebuilding
that was going to have to happen.
And, they just got more and more weary just thinking about it!


Isaiah:
“Have you not heard?
Have you not known?
The Lord is an everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
God does not faith or grow weary;
God’s understanding is unsearchable.
The Lord gives power to the faint
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.”

Not just people in Isaiah’s time, of course.
God gives you the strength you need when weary and heart-sick.
If you feel like you just don’t have enough oomph within you,
you have people around you to hold you.
And when you have an extra measure of hope and energy,
you turn to those around you who need the help.

In this way, we are part of God’s work of loving the world
with kindness and healing.
And, in this way, God meets us where we are – with healing and life.

[singing] [YouTube version of the tune is at the end of this post]
When the journey road is long
when the journey road is long
when the journey road is long,
give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
give me Jesus!
You may have all the rest,
give me Jesus.
_________________

Why are we part of a faith community?
Why are you here?
What drew you to be here?

Maybe you’re a cradle (pre-natal?) Episcopalian,
so when you moved to town, you found a church: St. David’s.
Maybe you grew up in this community;
it is your home congregation.
Maybe you heard or experienced something here
that drew you to be here.

So, why do you keep coming back?
Not just to St. David’s,
but to be a part of any faith community?

Especially...
when there can be disagreements,
and people “bumping” into one another
with their own ideas, or opinions,
or crabbiness, or brokenness.

We are gathered by the Holy Spirit to be together in community.

Yes, you can read scripture, pray, and encounter God on your own.

But, we’re gathered to be together.

And, we are healed.
We hear the words of God’s grace.
We taste the nourishment of life from Jesus.
We experience the healing waters of hope and life
through the power of the Holy Spirit in baptism.

We are like the crowds who gather at evening time, after the Sabbath,
where Jesus is – bring our sick friends/family (maybe ourselves)
and those who are weary, or broken, or afraid.
And Jesus has compassion on us, and heals us.
Jesus holds our hand and lifts us up.

Yet, that is not all.
God is not done with us.

The healing and wholeness of life isn’t the end of the story,
as though somehow it’s all and only about being renewed and refreshed.

We are restored to our full humanity and dignity
-- like the man possessed by demons from last week’s story,
-- like Simon’s mother in law
and we are restored to serve.
We are renewed so that we will proclaim the Good News.
We are refreshed
in order to bring healing and wholeness and life
to the world around us – near and far.

[singing]  [YouTube version of the tune is at the end of this post]
As I’m healed and sent to serve
as I’m healed and sent to serve
as I’m healed and sent to serve,
give me Jesus
Give me Jesus,
give me Jesus!
You can have all the rest,
give me Jesus
____________________

We are sent
as healed, nourished, and empowered people of God
into the world to share this good news,
this healing,
this life and hope.

We are sent
as the people of God
into the world for the sake of the world.

Amen