Holy Wisdom Church
Is 57:14-19, 2 Cor 1:17, Lk 5:17 28
Richard Rohr once used an example of the Russian Holiday nesting dolls to indicate a unique idea. Picture the Russian folk dolls, each one enclosing a smaller one. The first doll and the last doll are the Christ mystery, “the Alpha and Omega” of history*1. In the end everything will be united in Christ.
This morning’s gospel story seems to indicate one of the inside dolls, being neither the beginning nor the end. Jesus has been preaching and healing and making quite a reputation for himself. So much so, that many of the common folk as well as the Pharisees and scribes-the keepers of the law- had traveled from all around Palestine to hear what he had to say. When Jesus was amazingly pleased with the faith of the men who had lowered their friend down through the rafters of the house, he told the sick man his sins were forgiven. It was a common belief that disease was a direct result of sinning. Both Scribes and Pharisees were horrified at Jesus words, thinking that Jesus was blaspheming God –claiming to be God since only God can forgive sins. Jesus then referred to himself as the Son of Man. That is part of the Christ mystery. Jesus knew what he meant by calling himself Son of Man even if others did not. Son of Man would have been more acceptable than calling himself God. Jesus kept trying to convince people that he was indeed sent by God. His miraculous healing powers and teaching, for example this paralyzed man, was to help convince them of this.
It was not necessarily the faith of the paralyzed man that brought about his cure. It was the faith of the men who took the trouble to climb onto the roof and remove the thatch between the beams in order to put the man in front of Jesus. They had heard of his compassion for the sick and his ability to heal and knew he would heal their friend if they could just get to him. What a difference in attitude with the rigid law keepers. While their attitude can be understood if one studies the culture they were brought up in, how can we in our time and culture, be more like the friends rather than the blind, rigid keepers of the law? Our culture can keep us from seeing as well.
The theme of the retreat given here yesterday was strongly connected with silence. Our culture has seemingly become the culture of cacophony. With our modern conveniences we can be and are, at times, surrounded by noise of all kinds. Even beautiful music can prevent the silence that is necessary to listen for the voice of the Spirit. There is little time for listening to what the Word of the universe might be trying to say to us.
Distraction and ambition, anger and jealousy, pride and pain, fatigue and overload—all these distort the sense of the presence of God. Being able to contemplate the mystery of Christ is a gift from God. We have to choose to pursue and ask for this gift. Without taking the time to be quiet and listen, will we come to realize that God wishes us to be consoled? As in the Old Testament reading God indicated through Isaiah that God heals and bestows peace to the far and near. Faith in God can be challenged when we experience suffering and afflictions of all kinds. This too is part of the mystery of Christ. By silence and contemplation of this mystery we are consoled as promised.
Christ is in our midst.
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