An anonymous poet wrote, ‘I am part of all I have met." Just think about that for a moment. I think they are saying that every person, every situation we encounter changes us – sometimes only slightly, sometimes profoundly. And the more open we are to the things and people we meet, the more likely we are to be changed by them and to carry them with us in our spirit, in our heart and in our physical being – for indeed our encounters write themselves on our very bodies...
In today’s reading from the Gospel of `Matthew (9:35ff), Jesus gives us an example of how we might respond bodily if we were truly open to all whom we meet. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” The Greek word here that we translate ‘compassion’ is ‘splangehizomai’, which means ‘to be moved to the guts and bowels’. It is a very physical, indeed gut-wrenching word. Jesus felt the sufferings of others in his body. And he acts promptly to meet their needs, sending his disciples out with fearfully simple instructions, “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment, give without payment.” This week we too have seen crowds – crowds rightly proclaiming that #BlackLivesMatter. We too have been moved bodily by the video footage of the appalling treatment of Afro-American and Aboriginal people in custody. And God calls us to respond, for indeed addressing such issues is the mission of God in our world.
Over the last thirty years or so and extraordinary amount of church time and attention has been spent on ‘mission’. Mostly it has been a self-interested exercise to do with numbers attending church services. But mission, as Jesus exemplifies it here, has nothing to do with building up the church or any other institution, and everything to do with addressing human need. Jesus does not put limits on who is to be helped – Jesus doesn’t say only help those of this parish, or denomination, or with that colour skin or that sexuality or gender. Rather Jesus' is the original ‘Medecin San Frontieres’, “Healing Without Boundaries”.
It is wonderful that some of us can meet together physically today and even more wonderful that thanks to technology many more can join us virtually. As we seek as a community of faith to live into the mission of God, I wonder who has become a part of you through your encounters and especially who has been moving you to the guts and bowels? To whom is God calling you to reach out in healing, advocacy and service? For it is our mission as a parish to join in God’s mission, and to offer the compassion – the bodily participation – of God to all in need. So, may we be moved with compassion and may we participate in the mission of God in our world today and every day. Amen.
by Penny Jones, for the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, Sunday 14 June 2020
Over the last thirty years or so and extraordinary amount of church time and attention has been spent on ‘mission’. Mostly it has been a self-interested exercise to do with numbers attending church services. But mission, as Jesus exemplifies it here, has nothing to do with building up the church or any other institution, and everything to do with addressing human need. Jesus does not put limits on who is to be helped – Jesus doesn’t say only help those of this parish, or denomination, or with that colour skin or that sexuality or gender. Rather Jesus' is the original ‘Medecin San Frontieres’, “Healing Without Boundaries”.
It is wonderful that some of us can meet together physically today and even more wonderful that thanks to technology many more can join us virtually. As we seek as a community of faith to live into the mission of God, I wonder who has become a part of you through your encounters and especially who has been moving you to the guts and bowels? To whom is God calling you to reach out in healing, advocacy and service? For it is our mission as a parish to join in God’s mission, and to offer the compassion – the bodily participation – of God to all in need. So, may we be moved with compassion and may we participate in the mission of God in our world today and every day. Amen.
by Penny Jones, for the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, Sunday 14 June 2020
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