Living in the Spirit
June 19, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 8:26-39

Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him. –Luke 8:35-39

Psychiatrist still explore the chicken and egg questions of mental illness. Does environment create mental illness or is it biological in origin? Mental illness is surely impacted by both biology and environment. Experts try now to seek treatment on this continuum of cause and effect. While the professionals have made some headway, we in general do not deal with it much better than our ancestors in faith did 2000 years ago.

A high percentage of the homeless on our streets are mentally ill. My church worships with the homeless about once a quarter when we provide participants dinner at a sister church serving people living on the streets. It has been with great joy that at both of the last two meetings we have celebrated with persons who have met the criteria for obtaining an apartment of their own as a part of a program provided by the local Homeless Alliance. These people have done the hard work of learning to care for themselves including taking medicines, perhaps working, and sharing their stories of success with fellow pilgrims on the journey to wholeness.

Wholeness correlates with responsibility. The Man called Legion wanted to follow Jesus in his ministry, but Jesus told him his ministry was with those in his own community. That is essentially what Jesus told us all when he commanded us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts and minds to the needs of the mentally ill and grant us the wholeness and oneness to bring justice to their lives. 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.