John 11:32-44
Today is All Saints Sunday. We remember those who have died this year and in years past. We also read this gospel of the friend Jesus visited dying and his sisters who grieve him.
Yesterday at the investiture of our new Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe he made a parallel of the church, every church, as the people of community who are called to continue the healing of Lazarus. See Jesus just raising him from the dead wasn't where the healing stopped. It was in the gathered community being called by Jesus to unbind him, as Presiding Bishop Rowe said. We the church are called to do this in our everyday life. How might we do this?
I want to remember a saint today from our church. Kevin* was one of St. Peter's saints. Yes, I know the stories about this saint. How he was stubborn and stuck on the old ways of church. How he didn't want to listen about bringing his walking stick, eating breakfast before fainting at communion. Here is the thing though, Kevin, in all of his imperfections is a saint, just like you or I.
Here is what Kevin taught me. As he was in hospice one day he ended up in the ER from a fall which had happened, actually several falls because he didn't want to call for help from the nurses. It was a busy day in the ER. People were in beds in the hallways and he was in one of those beds.
When I came to visit he was distressed. He didn't know me that day. He was under the impression he was being kept as a prisoner and all the noise and confusion clouded this judgment. So the first order was to calm him. To keep saying over and over I'm here, your not alone, everyone here is trying to care for you, not hurt you. We held hands, because the only thing to ground is in touch. Speaking softly, and repeating the words of care.
Once he had calmed enough, even though the fear hadn't left, even though he didn't remember me, even though the next emergency came into triage and had him jumping, or the next ambulance came in, all of the sudden he closed his eyes and started this in a whisper. "Praise God, praise God, thank you God." Until this built and built into the song, Praise God from whom all blessings flow...How, how does someone who is afraid, who is alone, who doesn't even remember where they are or why they are there, begin to praise God?
This is what Kevin taught me. Even in the darkest places there is still room to praise God. And we should praise God. Because we are not alone in our fear. Today Jesus travels to Bethany knowing this raising of Lazarus will mean his death. Praise God. He has sat with this for two days before finally setting out on the road to face it.
We are not alone when this world is confusing. Mary and Martha blame him for not being there to cure their brother. They are confused as to why Jesus waited so long. They don't understand how he answers them with riddles, then he weeps with them in their grief. He is with them. Praise God!
So this is how we unbind the world. We speak kindness, praise God. We show the love of Jesus, even when we are met with unkind words, praise God. We speak into the fear of a love so deep it has empathy for being there, where all blessings flow, praise God. Praise God because we need to hear it in this hurting, divided world. Praise God because fear is set free. Praise God because even in confusion and strife there is peace in the storm, be still!
So you see, if we listen, the saints have much to teach us. Even us imperfect ones. Praise God for all the saints!
*name changed
Comments
Post a Comment