June 28, 2015

Helen Jacobi

Ordinary Sunday 13     Lamentations 3:22-33     Psalm 30     2 Corinthians 8:7-15     Mark 5:21-43

Video available on YouTube, Facebook

Hands.

One of the privileges of being a priest is the giving of the bread at communion. And I often notice your hands. Open, ready to receive. Sometimes one hand, sometimes two. Some hands crossed over in the sign of the cross – as some of us were taught to do at confirmation classes. Some hands cupped like a bowl ready to receive grace. Some hands have lots of rings, some have none. Some hands have tattoos. Some have pretty colours of nail polish. Some hands are workers hands – lined and creased; gardeners’ hands – scratched and discoloured; some hands are dry; some are smooth; some are shaky, others still.

It is a joy each Sunday to place the bread into your hands. Our hands that bring us to communion have already shared the peace; made the sign of the cross; turned the pages of the liturgy; put something in the collection; rubbed together with the cold; shaken the hand of a stranger or a friend.

These hands have made our breakfast, dressed and fed our children, driven us here, tagged on to the bus; held our umbrella as we walked; they have texted, posted and twittered already maybe; or just wiped the sleep from our eyes, and waved to a neighbour.

Jairus comes to Jesus, kneels down and begs – with hands clasped maybe; or hands open? He asks Jesus to come and lay hands on his daughter who is dying. In the Greek “to lay hands on” there is an underlying meaning for hands – the power of God to create, protect and preserve creation [1]. These hands have creative force and healing. Our hands have creative force and healing.

Jesus is on his way to Jairus’ house and the story is interrupted by a woman who comes and reaches her hand out to touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak. She does not presume to stop him, to speak to him, or to call out, or to touch him. She cannot for she is unclean. She just wants to touch the hem of his robe, that will be enough. But Jesus stops and asks – who touched  me? Silly question say the disciples – look at the crowds – everyone is trying to touch you! Jesus persists and looks through the crowd to find the woman. He picks her up from the ground “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” And before he has finished speaking word comes that it is too late for the daughter of Jairus; but he continues to journey and arrives at Jairus’ house; sends everyone out of the room; and takes the girl by the hand and says “talitha cum” – little girl – get up.

Will you lay hands on her?

If only I can touch his robe

He takes the girl by the hand.

More hands; hands that reach out in hope; hands that heal; hands that receive healing.

At first glance our reading from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians doesn’t seem to have anything to do with hands. But it does. Because it is about generosity and community.

Paul is seeking support for the church in Jerusalem and wants the church at Corinth to help – he has asked for help from other churches too (Rome and Macedonia) and they have offered more than the church at Corinth. So he asks the Corinthian church to consider what gift might be acceptable – not so that it will cause hardship for them, but enough to rebalance the resources.

“I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of fair balance between your present abundance, and their need” (8:13).

A call from 2000 years ago for the balancing of resources – a guide not just for churches but for society; for tax systems and welfare systems.

A call for reaching out and sharing with neighbour both near and far.

For in the offering – and in the receiving – we all reach out our hands with openness, ready to receive the gift of grace.

John Koenig says “God, the multiplier of gifts, invests grace in the enterprise of the gospel and receives it back again in the form of ever-growing thanksgivings. Or, to translate this circular flow more directly … the worldwide hospitality of believers, one to another, expands their ability to welcome God with their praises. The new humanity matures and God reaps benefits.” [2]

The open hands that have received the love and grace of God, in turn offer love to others in need, both near and far. The church in Corinth clearly did not feel they should give to the church in Jerusalem but Paul is beginning to help them be the church of the world, not just their own community.

This last week in Vestry we discussed how we are going to manage giving away a portion of our church’s income every year. At our AGM you approved a budget which for the first time in a while had a portion set aside to give away. And so Vestry were looking at a way of dividing that up – some for the City Mission, some for church projects overseas, some for one off appeals. Looking for a balance between our wealth and others’ needs. Reaching out to hold hands with others. Offering and receiving.

Paul says (8:9) “for you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich”. The “generous act” also can be translated grace – the grace of Christ, freely given, with open hands. The grace of Christ pouring his life out for us.

On Friday President Barack Obama preached a sermon about grace at the funeral of Rev Clementa Pinckney in Charleston, South Carolina. He was giving a eulogy but it was a sermon about grace and hope and the sufferings of the past – racism and slavery. In the signature style of the black preacher he brought the congregation with him as they encouraged him on.

He said the grace of God is not earned.

Rather, grace is the free and benevolent favor of God…, God has visited grace upon us, for he has allowed us to see where we've been blind. He has given us the chance, where we've been lost, to find our best selves. We may not have earned it, this grace, with our rancor and complacency, and short-sightedness and fear of each other – but we got it all the same. God gave it to us anyway. God’s once more given us grace. But it is up to us now to make the most of it, to receive it with gratitude, and to prove ourselves worthy of this gift. [3]

American writer Diana Butler Bass tweeted “a sermon just exploded twitter” and “the media are talking about grace”.  Then hot on the heels of the President’s sermon came another grace filled moment as the US Supreme Court ruled in favour of marriage equality across the whole country. Moments of great joy for many couples and their families.

Into our hands today God pours grace and love.

It is up to us to reach out and receive the grace with an open hand, not a clenched fist.

Whether you feel you can only be brave enough to touch the hem of Jesus’ robe; or whether you are brave enough to throw yourself at his feet – Jesus will respond and fill our empty hands.

Then we in turn can offer something to our neighbor, we go not empty handed but with God’s love.

The world needs God’s love and you have God’s love in your hands today.

How will you share it this week?

Whose hands will you touch?

For whom will you pray?

Where will you go with God’s grace?

[1] http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5495&t=KJV

[2] John Koenig New testament Hospitality: Partnership with Strangers as Promise and Mission Philadelphia: Fortress Press 1985, p.77-78

[3] http://www.vox.com/2015/6/26/8854855/read-full-text-obamas-eulogy-charleston-shooting