Epiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
February 1, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Mark 1:21-28

Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit, throwing him into convulsions and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, ‘What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.  — Mark 1:23-28

We do not provide adequately for the mentally ill in our communities. Strides have been made in recent years to improve both the medications and therapies available to treat mental illness but the availability of such service is often rationed and limited in scope. Faith communities have a role in advocating on behalf of populations who cannot advocate for themselves and that includes encouraging the expansion of services for the mentally ill, but that is just the beginning.

Jesus treated the mentally ill just like he did everyone else. He met them where they were and welcomed them into his presence. Do we welcome the mentally ill into our churches and treat them as we would treat any visitor? Yes, Jesus did heal both the mentally and the physically ill, and yes, we might help people find the health care they need, but more than anything else the mentally ill need to experience life without being shunned. There is no better place for that to happen than in church. It is amazing what transformation can occur in people’s lives when they are treated like the children of God they are.

In Mark 5:1-20 we read about the healing of Legion, a man who apparently had multiple personalities. Jesus healed Legion who then begged to go with Jesus, but Jesus’ response was to encourage Legion to stay in his own community and be Jesus’ follower there. Legion did and told his story to the extent that people were amazed.

Prayer: Lord, teach us how to love the other who is different and sometimes difficult, but whose potential as a child of God is as great as any. Enable us to be enablers of that potential. 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.