Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 23
Ephesians 2:11-22
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The Gospel according to Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.  He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.  And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.   Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.  As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.  When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat.  When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.  And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

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IT SEEMS TO ME ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT LIFE IS THAT SO OFTEN WE START OUT TO DO ONE THING AND END UP DOING ANOTHER. I PLANNED TO END MY WORKING CAREER BEING A MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER IN NEW YORK, AND LOOK WHERE I ENDED UP! I WALK DOWN THE HALL TOWARD THE KITCHEN WITH PLANS TO CLEAN UP THE DISHES, AND THE PHONE RINGS....OFF I GO ON IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. IT IS CLEAR FROM THE FIRST PART OF OUR READING TODAY THAT JESUS WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DISCIPLES NEEDED TO HAVE SOME R AND R AFTER THEIR FIRST VENTURE AS MISSIONARIES. HE CAREFULLY LISTENED TO REPORTS OF THEIR CASTING OUT DEMONS AND ANOINTING THE SICK WITH OIL I CAN IMAGINE THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND EAGERNESS TO SHARE WITH HIM. AND THEN, TO ESCAPE THE DEMANDS OF THE CROWDS PRESSING ON THEM, JESUS INVITED THEM TO "COME AWAY TO A DESERTED PLACE AND REST A WHILE," FOR THEY HAD SCARCELY HAD TIME TO EAT.

I ALWAYS APPRECIATE JESUS’ WISDOM REGARDING REST. IT’S THE "YOU DESERVE A BREAK TODAY" THINKING, THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE VALUE OF TAKING TIME OUT FOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REFRESHMENT, WITHOUT FEELING GUILTY.. I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS AN INTERMISSION, A HALFTIME, A CHANCE FOR PLAYERS TO CATCH THEIR BREATH. OF COURSE GOD ACTUALLY SET THE PACE FOR THIS IN GENESIS WHEN HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF CREATION, AND WHEN THE THIRD COMMANDMENT READS, "REMEMBER THE SABBATH. TO KEEP IT HOLY." THERE IS ROOM FOR ABUSE IN THIS CALL OF COURSE. FOR SOME IT CAN BE AN ESCAPE FROM OBLIGATIONS THAT ARE CRUCIAL OR A RETREAT FROM THOSE THAT NEED US. HOPEFULLY, WE CAN SENSE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NEED FOR REST AND NEGLECT OF IMPORTANT THINGS.

BUT ABOUT INTERRUPTED PLANS, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE ARE CALLED FROM RESTING TO THINGS OF GREATER SIGNIFICANCE. WE SENSE A SHIFT, THERE IS A NEW MESSAGE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SAW JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES NAVIGATING TOWARD THE OTHER SHORE. THE DESERTED PLACE BECAME A CONGESTED MASS OF PEOPLE EVEN BEFORE THE SMALL GROUP ARRIVED THERE. IT WAS A CROWD EAGER TO FIND SOMETHING HELPFUL FOR THEIR LIVES, SOMETHING JESUS COULD DO FOR THEM. HOW EASY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO BRUSH THE PEOPLE AWAY. "COME BACK LATER" THEY COULD HAVE SAID. I FIND I SOMETIMES CONSIDER INTERRUPTIONS ANNOYING, AGGRAVATING...."DON’T BOTHER ME, I DON’T HAVE TIME." JESUS RARELY SEEMS TO BE TOO BUSY TO TALK TO PEOPLE. HIS SENSITIVITY AND COMPASSION CALL HIM TO RESPOND IN MOST SITUATIONS. "THEY WERE LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD." HE SAYS. THEY NEED HELP. THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF EXAMPLES IN SCRIPTURE OF HIS WILLINGNESS TO DROP HIS PLANS, TO CHANGE COURSE. ON HIS WAY TO JAIRUS’ HOME HE STOPPED TO HEAL A WOMAN WHO TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS ROBE. HE STOPPED TO LISTEN TO BLIND BARTEMAEUS. HE SAW INTERRUPTIONS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MINISTRY. AND THAT WAS THE CASE IN THIS SUPPOSEDLY DESERTED PLACE. "HE BEGAN TO TEACH THEM MANY THINGS."

WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES CHANGING COURSE, TAKING A BREAK, RESPONDING TO INTERRUPTIONS, WE OFTEN HESITATE. I’M GUILTY OF THAT BECAUSE I STOP TO PONDER. I’M HOPING THAT SOMEHOW I CAN DISCERN GOD’S WILL FOR MY CHOICES. I NEED A BOOST OF STRENGTH TO MAKE SURE I AM DOING THE "RIGHT" THING.

I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN READING A BOOK BY BROTHER LAWRENCE ENTITLED, THE PRACTICE OF BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. IT’S A SERIES OF TEACHINGS AND LETTERS BETWEEN THIS DEVOUT MONK AND OTHER PEOPLE. HE TALKS MORE ABOUT SEEKING TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF GOD THAN HE DOES ABOUT " DOING GOD’S WILL." HE TALKS ABOUT "BEING AWARE OF GOD’S CONSTANT PRESENCE IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN HIS PRESENCE IS A DELIGHT TO OUR SOULS AND SPIRITS." THE DEMANDS OF THIS DISCIPLINE ARE, FOR ME, MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN I THOUGHT. AND YET I REJOICE IN THE PROMPTING TO EXPERIENCE, TO COMMENT OFTEN TO MYSELF ABOUT GOD’S PRESENCE WITH ME IN MY DAILY LIFE. RATHER THAN STOPPING TO ASK FOR SPECIFIC ANSWERS I TRY TO CELEBRATE GOD’S BEING. I PUT A HIGH PRIORITY ON "NUDGES" FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT TO KEEP ME TUNED WITH GOD’S WILL, AND THIS IS WHAT BROTHER LAWRENCE IS ABOUT. IT IS THOSE "NUDGES" IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, THAT HELP US RESPOND TO INTERRUPTIONS.

JESUS LOOKED AT THE CROWD, FORGETTING HIS OWN NEEDS AND THOSE OF HIS DISCIPLES, AND "HAD COMPASSION ON THEM." YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT IN OUR GOSPEL READING TODAY WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT PASSAGES. WE JUMP OVER MARK’S REPORT OF THE FEEDING OF THOSE 5000 PEOPLE AND THE STORY OF JESUS WALKING ON WATER. WE START UP AGAIN WHEN THE DISCIPLES ARE EMBARKING ON A SECOND BOAT TRIP AND COME TO A SECOND LANDING, THIS TIME AT GENNESARET. AGAIN, PEOPLE FLOCK TO JESUS. RUSHING ABOUT THE REGION THEY BRING THE SICK ON MATS TO WHEREVER HE WAS. THEY LAID THE SICK IN THE MARKETPLACES BEGGING THAT THEY COULD TOUCH THE FRINGE OF HIS CLOAK: "AND ALL WHO TOUCHED IT WERE HEALED."

THAT LAST SENTENCE ALWAYS JOLTS ME. IT SEEMS LIKE AN INCREDIBLE, ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE MIRACLE. AND THEN I STOP TO THINK ABOUT HEALING. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I WAS THE PART-TIME CHAPLAIN TO THE GRADY AIDES CLINIC FOR TEN YEARS. DURING THAT TIME I DID A LOT OF PRAYING WITH OUR PATIENTS ABOUT HEALING, AND I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT HEALING CAN TAKE MANY FORMS. I SAT WITH ANY NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE REQUEST FOR HEALING INVOLVED RELATIONSHIPS. A RECOVERING COCAINE ADDICT LONGED TO BE RECONCILED TO HER CHILDREN, HER FAMILY, TO GOD. THAT WAS HEALING. A GAY MAN WHO HAS BEEN REJECTED BY HIS FAMILY WANTS SIMILAR HEALING BEFORE HE DIES. AND TOGETHER WE PRAY THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN, AND THAT HE WILL HAVE AN EASY DEATH. THOSE WHO CAME TO JESUS THAT DAY MAY WELL HAVE WANTED SUCH HEALING.

OF ALL THE KINDS OF HEALING THERE ARE, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, RELATIONAL, PHYSICAL HEALING MAY BE THE HARDEST FOR US TO BELIEVE IN; IT IS FAR EASIER TO BELIEVE THAT PRAYER CAN LEAD TO RECONCILIATION THAN TO ASK THAT SOMEONE BE GIVEN LIFE WHEN THEY ARE BURNED OVER 98% OF THEIR BODY. HAVE YOU EVER SAT AND PRAYED FOR SIGHT WITH A BLIND PERSON WHO HAS NEVER HAD SIGHT? THE SIGHT SHE GAINED FINALLY WAS INSIGHT AND YET REAL PHYSICAL HEALING TAKES PLACE REGULARLY. WE KNOW FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN REMISSION FROM ALL KINDS OF ILLS FROM CANCER TO RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. AND STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THAT WHEN A COMMUNITY OF PRAYER IS CALLED ON, HEALING MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

I HAVE A GOOD FRIEND WHO IS A LONG TERM SURVIVOR WITH AIDS, WHO PRAYS HIMSELF, AND IS REGULARLY PRAYED FOR BY MANY. HIS AWARENESS OF GOD’S PRESENCE IN HIS LIFE IS A CONTINUAL BLESSING TO ALL OF US WHO KNOW HIM. FOR HIM HEALING COMES IN THE FORM OF MEDICINE THAT KEEPS HIM ALIVE FROM DAY TO DAY. AND YET HE KNOWS THAT HIS HEALTH HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, AND THERE MAY BE A DAY WHEN MEDICINE CAN’T HELP. HIS FAITH HAS MADE HIM STRONG, AND HE IS THANKFUL FOR EVERY DAY HE LIVES AS WELL AS FOR THE MANY WHO PRAY FOR HIM.

I SPENT A GOOD MANY YEARS OF MY LIFE BEING SKEPTICAL ABOUT HEALING. WE NEVER DID MORE THAN KEEP PEOPLE ON A PRAYER LIST AT OUR CHURCH IN NEW YORK. THANKFULLY, I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT REVIVAL OF FAITH IN HEALING THAT IS SWEEPING THE CHRISTIAN WORLD. I THINK WE HAVE COME TO KNOW, AS JESUS KNEW, THAT SICKNESS, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL OR SPIRITUAL, OFFERS US THE CHANCE TO USE ONE OF GOD’S MOST PRECIOUS GIFTS, THE POWER TO HEAL, THROUGH PRAYER, THROUGH THE LAYING ON OF HANDS, THROUGH ANOINTING. THAT POWER WAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIS APOSTLES AS WE HAVE HEARD IN THE GOSPEL, AND IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US.

AS WE LIVE WITH THE PRESENCE OF GOD, MAY WE USE THAT GIFT OF HEALING WELL. MAY WE PRAY OFTEN FOR THOSE WE KNOW WHO ARE SICK ASKING GOD TO SUSTAIN THEM WITH HIS PRESENCE, WHATEVER SICKNESS THAT IS, KNOWING THAT GOD IS WITH US, AND HEARS US.

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