Authority & Healing

 

SERMON

January 28, 2024 - Mark 1:21-28

When Fr. Blake invited me to be with you all today, he said “It will be good to hear a deacon preach at St. Jude’s.” Then he added, “And it will be wonderful to have the presence of a woman at our altar as well.”

I am flattered by so generous an invitation and honored to be here with you today as we install the St. Jude’s Daughter of the King’s new members.

Congratulations to all of you for being a part of this incredibly important ministry.

Today, I speak to you as the voice of a deacon, not necessarily from a woman’s point of view, but from the point of view of one called by God to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ and one committed to stiving for justice and peace among all people.

Today I speak to you as one who has been called by God to the vocation of a deacon, ordained 14 years ago by the Rt. Rev. Dan Edwards, now retired Bishop of Nevada. On that sacred day, as Bishop Dan lay hands on me, I vowed to make Christ and his redemptive love known, by word and example to those among whom I live, work, and worship, and I vowed to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world.

I can assure you that back in 2010 on the day of my ordination I had no idea what that call would entail. No idea at all.

Since that day many years ago I have experienced an incredibly spiritual journey. A powerful journey in which the compelling voice of Christ and the continual presence of God’s love have reinforced, strengthened, and informed a call that is quite challenging. A call sanctioned and empowered by God to be an icon illuminating Christ as a model of love, compassion, and healing. A call to be a bridge between the church and the world. And a call to act as a prophetic voice that leads the church forth into a troubled world as God’s mission in Christ. 

That is my call as a deacon.

All that leads me to say that today’s gospel is one of my favorites. It may be only the briefest of stories but it is a story that is immensely exciting to me because it points to specific ways in which not only I but all of us are called to be the voice of Christ in this complex and much troubled world.

For me this passage from Mark contains two key words, “authority” and “healing.” As Christians, we have been commanded to go forth into the world and to make disciples of all nations That command mandates that in our work as disciples of Christ we speak with authority. We speak of the Good News brought to us through the incarnation, the crucifixion, and the resurrection with authority. We speak of God’s love for each and every one of us with authority. We speak of Jesus as our savior with confidence and conviction, with authority.

And our speaking with authority leads to healing. Our confident words and our compassionate love of neighbor mirror God’s love for all his beloved children. Our confident words speak to the grace that God’s love pours out onto us. Love that fills our hearts and minds to the point of overflowing and then spills over to others, enfolds others, in that same God love.

With the authority given us by Christ to go forth into the world we offer the world the blessing of healing. The authority given us by Christ offers release from the power of fear and isolation; healing of mind, body, and spirit. The authority given us by Christ is the pathway to peace. God’s peace that passes all understanding.

Today’s gospel story begins as Jesus enters the synagogue at Capernaum and begins to teach. But to the surprise of all he doesn’t teach as a beginner rabbi, rather he teaches “with authority.” The scribes, who were often interpreters of the law in the ancient world, were probably present to criticize and humiliate Jesus. But instead they were astounded by the way in which he was teaching. They were astounded that this young upstart was teaching them with great authority. He actually knew as much, if not more than the scribes.

And then, in the midst of Jesus’ teaching a man with an unclean spirit enters the synagogue, disrupts the discussion, and loudly confronts Jesus. The man says “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?” Unfazed Jesus looks directly at the man and with authority says, “Be silent and come out of him!” Immediately an unclean spirit, convulsing, and crying out with a loud voice came out of him and everyone was amazed. 

The scribes wondered aloud, “What is this? A new teaching – with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” The people were also amazed by the authority with which Jesus spoke. Quickly they went out into the surrounding community and conveyed this astonishing tale of healing to all they encountered.

The good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, spread like wildfire.

Teaching, preaching, confronting, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of heaven, of God’s loving and forgiving presence with us now at this very time, in this very place, all this delivered with a voice of authority, that is the hallmark of Jesus’ time with us. And as Christ’s disciples, extensions of God’s mission in the world those same tasks have been given to us. Given to us to proclaim with the voice of authority.

As Christ’s disciples we have been given the mandate to speak of God’s love and forgiveness with a voice of authority; with a voice that astounds. A voice that makes clear the universality of God’s incredible love. A love that extends to all no matter what ethnicity. No matter what skin color. No matter what language is spoken. No matter what sexual orientation. No matter what economic status. A powerful love that is so desperately needed if we are to heal this troubled world. A world overwhelmed by poverty, hunger, racism, terrorism, war, and the dangerous divisiveness of political struggles.

Our voice of authority is powerful. It enables us to bring the good news of the church, God’s mission in the world, to all. It allows us to heal.

Of course, it’s no secret, being the voice of Christ and speaking with authority is no easy task. One does not need to be ordained clergy to discover that hard reality. Skepticism and rejection are just around every corner. Yet, there is no getting off the hook. Bishops, priests, deacons, and you – yes you – all of us are members of the body of Christ anointed through baptism to carry out God’s mission in the world. A mission that if carried out with authority brings healing.

And in view of the fact that I am a deacon you might ask: “What about deacons? How did they come into the picture? Are they in any way different from priests?”

Well, if you remember your study of the Book of Acts you will recall that quite soon after the ascension of Jesus the apostles appointed seven deacons to go out into the community and tend to the needs of the poor, while they, the apostles, stayed at home to pray and lead the community in worship. You might also remember that Stephen, the very first deacon to be appointed, was so vigorous and effective with his voice of authority that he was stoned to death!

I believe that his death is a metaphor for just how challenging and yes, at times dangerous, the life of a true disciple can actually be. Speaking with the authority of Christ is not always appreciated by those who seek to retain power and control, frequently to the detriment of the general community.

At their ordination deacons vow to act as a prophetic voice that leads the church forth into a troubled world as God’s mission in Christ. A prophetic voice that confronts evil and leads the way to the building of God’s kingdom among those who suffer.

This means that deacons are the point people scoping out the territory, getting a feel for who needs what. Assessing the challenges. Meeting the people where they are and creating what might be called a basecamp for those who will follow as workers on this new missional project.

The work of the deacon is to be on the edge and to slowly bring the edge into the middle. Your work, my friends, is to cross the threshold created by the deacon and to walk through the door that has been opened. An opened door that allows the light of Christ, God’s love for all his beloved children, to initiate the healing process and slowly and gently bring those on the edge to the middle. The middle where God’s eternal Kingdom reigns and peace prevails. 

And this finally brings me full circle to the Daughters of the King. In your Service of Admission, you vowed to obey faithfully the Two Rules of the Order, The Rule of Prayer, and the Rule of Service. To offer your support to the clergy for the good of the parish and the extension of Christ’s kingdom. Your mission through prayer and service is to support the extension of Christ’s kingdom.

You vow to pray regularly and with the deepest faith imaginable for the well-being of all those in your congregation and all those in the world who go forth in the name of Christ, with authority. Who go forth to bring about the healing of the world.

That my friends is a big job, and it is a job that is of critical importance. It is a job that you have vowed to take on from now forward. A job that will take you to many places, on many adventures. Some most wonderful and some so very sad and painful. But you do it all for our Savior Jesus Christ.

Let us pray:

Dear Jesus, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. AMEN