Lent
February 21, 2016
Scripture Reading: Luke 9:28-43
On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
As disciples of Christ, what are we called to do or be? I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not. I do not like to fail and I do not like to be assigned impossible tasks. Casting out a demon, healing a sick person, I consider to be beyond my grade level. I have cared for the sick, really enjoyed being a nurse’s aid in high school and college. I have worked with abused and neglected children and adults, and the mentally ill. I remember once being called to the local hospital where a 15 year-old had been brought by his parents. He had attempted to commit suicide and was at one moment saying he was possessed by the devil and the next saying that he was Jesus Christ. I sat with him through the night primarily to alert others that he might try to hurt himself again. I cannot tell you a time I have prayed more for insight or courage or whatever it would take to help him, including praying for intercession for him. Because of experiences like that, I do not believe Luke is describing Jesus requiring us to do the impossible in this scripture, I think Jesus is calling us to care.
This week as Pope Francis was touring Mexico he was greeting people along the way, specifically greeting and, I think, trying to bless a young man in a wheel chair when arms reached over the young man’s head grasping at the pontiff pulling him toward the crowd. I understand from the TV report that he said in Spanish “Do not be so selfish”.
It is amazing the miracles that have occurred over time in our society because enough people cared and enough people sought answers to the problems that perplexes our world. I was one of the test children when the first polio vaccine was administered. I got the saline solution so when the vaccine proved to be effective, I had to get all those shots again. That was hard to explain to a six-year-old. Selfishness, greed, hunger for power are epidemic today. God is still calling us, to care for one another.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our selfish ways, infuse us with caring hearts. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.