uumcadmin – Union United Methodist Church Brooklyn

The Quest for Wholeness

uumcadmin — Sun, 04 Jul 2021 02:15:36 +0000

Last week we looked at the story where Jesus calmed a storm on Lake Gennesaret. We reflected on the challenges we face and we likened them to a storm. Today we can apply the same metaphor to what was happening with the two females in the text that was read for us. One was chronically ill and the other was terminally ill; both were in a storm. They were in the storm of sickness and one was even facing the storm of death.

The Covid-19 storm showed us the truth about many things; one of them is our healthcare system. Many died because of the lack of access to decent healthcare. This is nothing new. we know that historically black and brown people do not get the same quality treatment as our white counterparts. So we know about a storm on top of a storm, the storm of healthcare inequity.

In both accounts the desire of the sick and in the case of the little girl (her father’s desire for her) is to be made well. Dis-ease prevents us from living fully and therefore the universe is on a quest for wellness so we work out and diet. We follow doctors’ orders by taking the medicines they give us in an attempt to get better. Our national spending on healthcare in 2018 was $3.65 trillion. Everyone wants to be well! Reflect with me for a while on the two stories and I want you to entertain this thought: our quest for wellness is surpassed only by God’s quest for our wholeness.

Let us examine the two healing stories; first, we will look at the woman with the hemorrhage. This woman had been suffering for twelve years and she was exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. How do I make these assumptions? The text tells us that she had endured much, spent all she had (she was broke). Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26, she had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.

(25-26), she was in a healthcare storm that sent her from one doctor to another and she was prodded and poked and cut like a guinea pig. I imagine her being given one medicine after another and the frustration she felt when she got worse rather better. As she got sicker and her resources dwindled she probably resorted to generic drugs and less capable doctors. This had to affect her mind and emotions.

This woman’s situation is not so different to what many of us face when we are sick. In today’s context the quality of the health insurance we have determines our access to the doctors and the therapeutics. The better the insurance the more things are covered and God help us if the insurance is not good. Out of pocket costs can wipe out savings, retirement funds, and has been known to cause loss of homes, not to mention deteriorating health.

This woman was at her wits end when she heard about Jesus. Hallelujah! She came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” She was low on strength, material resources, emotionally fragile, mentally drained but she was high on faith. According to the writer of Hebrews chapter eleven verse one, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. She believed healing was within her reach; if I but touch his clothes, I will be made well. In that second that it took for her to reach out and touch Jesus the woman’s life was transformed. She not only got her health restored she was made whole.

Wellness is about the body and the mind whereas wholeness is about body, mind, and spirit. So, you ask how she was made whole. We’re told that immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 3 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

Jesus’ response to the woman’s admission gives us our answer; Jesus called her daughter. She was no longer an unclean woman shunned by society forced to live on the margins of the community. The Greek word for daughter is thygatēr which means descendant. This was Jesus acknowledging that this woman was part of the covenant God made with her ancestor Abraham. She was being restored in every way. Then Jesus pronounced peace upon her. The peace that surpasses understanding! She was made whole!

A leader of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” We know that along the way Jesus was interrupted by the woman with the hemorrhage and before he could reach the house where the girl laid he got word that she had died. This girl was twelve years old!

Jairus which means he will illuminate was facing one of the darkest moments a parent can experience. Noteworthy is the fact that because of his status Jairus went to Jesus and asked that Jesus would go to his daughter. He was used to having access whereas the woman had to get through the crowd to touch Jesus’ coat. In that moment he set his status aside and he was just a father pleading for help for his little girl.

Her family was now dealing with the storm of loss of life. When a child dies it is more difficult for the family to come to terms with their loss. They might have thought that if only Jesus had not stopped on the way he might have gotten to their little girl in time. Mary and Martha thought so when Lazarus had died. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. (John 11:21) Jesus should have made the little girl a priority, after all this girl’s father was a leader in the synagogue. This random woman was not as important in the eyes of the community.
Upon hearing the update Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” Jesus arrived at the house to the see the professional mourners in full display and he stops the show. Jesus goes against the customs and takes the little girl by the hand; he restored her life and she and her family were made whole.

Jesus invited the father to believe, to believe that Jesus was who he said he was: the son of God. Believing also meant that he had faith in Jesus’ authority to heal his daughter. In the moment the little girl was surrounded by six people who believed God for healing. In life altering moments you need people who believe.

Do you remember the paralytic who was carried to the house where Jesus was staying and when they could not get in at the door they removed part of the roof and let down their friend? When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” Jesus went straight to spiritual healing which means wholeness.

If you were to continue reading Mark’s account you would see that all who were present including her parents were overcome with amazement. They had witnessed a defining moment; they got their daughter back from the dead. Who is this that can raise the dead to life? This is similar to the disciples who were in the boat with Jesus during the storm and heard him silence the wind and the waves with his words.

When we encounter the living God in his power and might we cannot remain the same. Whether we see the dead come back to life or the wind and the waves calmed we get more than we imagined possible. We witness God’s divine presence and it touches our spirits and we are made whole.

Beloved, I conclude where I began. Dis-ease prevents us from living fully and therefore the universe is on a quest for wellness. We want longevity so we pursue whatever will make us well and that is good stewardship of our bodies. In the end these bodies will wear out, our minds will cease to be because we are mortal and all that will be left will be our spirits. Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth reminds us that when our earthly tent (our body) is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. So, I invite you to have the mind of Christ and pursue wellness in mind, body, and spirit which in a word is wholeness. I pray in the name of the father, son and Holy Spirit.

Be Present in His Presence

uumcadmin — Sun, 04 Jul 2021 01:43:44 +0000

What started out as an ordinary hike up the mountain by Jesus and the three disciples turned into a day the disciples would never forget; a day when they experienced an event that felt good, scary, and surreal. And God commanded them to listen to Jesus who instructed them not to talk about what they had seen and heard.

Social scientists suggest that about two thirds of us are visual learners; our eyes are the main portal in the learning process. It is highly likely that two of the three disciples were visual learners; what they saw would be inscribed in their memory forever. They saw Jesus transfigured and talking with two of Israel’s greatest prophets, Elijah and Moses.
There are once in a lifetime moments when we long to say something/do something to inscribe the moment in our memory. That’s what the disciples experienced. I want to suggest that the best way to remember and derive the benefit from the life altering moment is by being fully present to all that the moment offers. This is especially relevant where God is concerned. Be present in the presence of God by looking, listening, and feeling.

Peter, John, and James were chosen by Jesus to go up to the mountain. They showed up and as they were watching Jesus was transfigured before them, we’re told that his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one[a] on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. They got to see Jesus in a different light.

If the disciples were asleep or gazing at the clouds or having conversation among them about God knows what or if they were busy complaining about how difficult the climb was, they would have missed seeing the vision of a lifetime. The disciples that went up the mountain were not the same when they left the mountain top; they were transformed. How do I know? Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.

Too often we show up to worship, bible study, women’s meeting, Sunday school etc. because it’s what we have done for twenty years. We show up but we are not present; we are distracted and all over the place and we miss out on what God wants to reveal to us. We miss out on the refreshing work that the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives and we leave the same way we came in.

Later Peter would write to the early Christians urging them to make their call and election sure. He said, we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. Sounds to me like Peter could not forget what he had seen.

Those who are present in the presence of God are described as being wise. “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour [b]in which the Son of Man is coming. If you are going to show up be present.

Just as Peter was suggesting that they build memorials they heard a voice that seemed to be coming from the cloud saying, This is my Son, the Beloved;[c] listen to him!” The people of Israel knew that God’s presence would often manifest in heavy clouds. The bible tells us that when they left Egypt and made their way through the wilderness; the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.

God was affirming that Jesus was and is his much-loved son who spoke on his behalf. He commanded the disciples to listen to his son. Why? He knows my plans and he would lead you in the way you should go. Listen to him because he is the way, the truth, and the life.

Are you listening to God? Spiritual deafness is a real thing. Too often we are surrounded by noises that drown out the voice of God. God is speaking but we cannot hear. I encourage us to practice listening to God and the psalmist offers this advice: be still and know that I am God. As a church should be listening to God for what’s best for us, our families, and for Union.

Peter said, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” It felt good to be in the presence of God and the mighty men of God. It felt so good that Peter was inspired to build a memorial.

It felt so good Peter wanted to linger in the afterglow. Jesus knew that according to God’s agenda they were needed in the valley. If he said yes to Peter’s idea they would spend too much time on the mountain when there were folks at the bottom waiting to be healed and fed and taught.

When we are present in the presence of God, we are inspired by the Holy Spirit to bear witness to present and future generations. Ministries are born and visions come to life. There are no limits on how God will inspire us if we show up fully present. Our work could be memorials for generations to come.

If you are going to take the time and make the effort to show up be fully present in order to maximize the experience. By looking, listening, and feeling the disciples had a once in a lifetime experience that transformed them. We can be too if we show up fully present and look, listen, and feel.

A Resilient People

uumcadmin — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 22:26:16 +0000

Some biblical scholars believe that much of the book of Exodus is folklore and myth; they claim that there are no archaeological records to support the Hebrew people leaving Egypt. On the other hand some of the names of the Israelites especially those whose ancestors were from the tribe of Levi were Egyptian in origin such as Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and Phinehas.

Whether you believe the story in the text to be true or not I think we could agree that the story bears striking resemblance to our story. I am referring to the story of people of African descent; our ancestors’ enslavement and God’s liberation of them. [A moment of silence]

The Pharaoh believed to be Rameses the second trafficked in fearmongering. He appealed to a human condition that lurks just under the surface of many of us: fear. The Egyptians did not hear the lie only the fear. The lie was the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. He was setting the stage for us against them.

People who study demographics are looking at population trends and are predicting that by the year 2045 whites in America will be the minority. That is part of what is driving white fear and that’s why so many of us are being killed for no other reason than the fact that we are of African descent.

When feelings of fear, real or perceived are experienced by the powerful the consequences are life threatening for the powerless. It takes a resilient people whose help is God, to not only survive but thrive in the face of such oppression.
If we were not a resilient people and if it wasn’t for God’s grace and mercy we would have been annihilated. I believe that is who we are; our ancestors embodied the words of this old African American spiritual: Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around. Turn me around, turn me around. Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around, I’m gonna keep on a-walkin’, keep on a-talkin’ Marchin’ up to freedom land.

Let’s look back at our story, not for a pity party but to draw strength from our ancestors on whose shoulders we stand, to be able to face our current reality and to work for a better tomorrow for our grandchildren and for generations yet unborn.

Our ancestors were forcibly removed from their homeland, family, and culture; shackled in holding pens and later put on ships that were not fit for animals and brought thousands of miles to the other side of the globe. That was if they survived the poor diet, floggings, rape, sea-sickness, disease etc.

When they arrived here or at some point further south they were sold to some of the cruelest people and put to work like they had never worked before. Many survived the treacherous voyage only to die on plantations or die trying to be free.

We’re told that they set taskmasters over [the Israelites] to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.
Isn’t that what the plantation owners did to our ancestors? People of African descent knew about hard service; they built the infrastructure of this country with their bare hands and for free. They toiled long and hard in all kinds of weather without pay. That’s how these United States got rich.

Our folks managed to rise up from the oppression and fight for their freedom in a strange land where the deck was stacked against them. All they had was a spirit that refused to surrender. They had no material resources yet they found the strength to fight. Perpetual enslavement was not an option!

“When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. God has always sent help. The writer noted that the midwives were God fearing. So too were some of the abolitionists. Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of the leaders of the abolitionist who was also God fearing working tirelessly to end slavery. This affirms that the Lord God is our refuge and strength; a present help in trouble. (Ps. 46:1)
We cannot have this conversation without talk about Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad conductor who courageously escaped and at great risk made about nineteen trips to the South to free more than 300 slaves. She was nicknamed Moses for her efforts. I could imagine her singing: Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around. Turn me around, turn me around. Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around, I’m gonna keep on a-walkin’, keep on a-talkin’ Marchin’ up to freedom land. Her image deserves to be on that twenty dollar bill!

As you know the slave owners were livid; their free labor source was ending and some slave owners in Texas continued to keep their slaves in the dark for several months after the law to end slavery was passed.
Our woes did not end with the abolition of slavery; there was Jim Crow and all its evils. We are now dealing with the prison industrial complex and mass incarceration, police executions, gerrymandering etc. our last election cycle brought to the surface all that is ugly about America. Thanks to Georgia! Stacey Abrams is a boss!
I believe that we have lost some of our resilience over time and it is largely due to assimilation, the process whereby individuals or groups of differing ethnic heritage are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society. I am at a loss as to why we want to be like the people who have done us so much harm? If anything we should be striving to not be like them. And yes I know that our ancestors lost much of their culture but the little that they managed to preserve we have turned our back on it.

Added to assimilation is our complacency with tokenism. We should never be satisfied and think that we have arrived because we had an African American president and now an African American woman vice president. We must reclaim our resilience; we must continue to advocate until all of us have access to high quality health care, education, clean air, affordable housing etc. All of our children and grandchildren ought to have the same opportunities like their white counterparts.

Storytelling is a powerful tool in stemming assimilation. The people of Israel were advised to continue practicing their tradition of keeping the law and the reason was that the younger generations would enquire. When they did it would give the elders opportunity to tell them about their exodus from Egypt and God’s promise to bring them into the Promised Land. We owe it to the children to tell the stories of how we overcame with God’s help.
We know that God is on our side; he stands ready to help us but we need to reclaim our resilience as a people. We have to want to be free from the shackles of white supremacy. We’ve got to remind ourselves that we are a resilient people whose help is the Lord. Ain’t gonna let nobody turn us around. Turn us around, turn us around. Ain’t gonna let nobody turn us around, We gonna keep on a-walkin’, keep on a-talkin’ Marchin’ up to freedom land.
Amen

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uumcadmin — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 20:16:35 +0000

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