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Readings

Jesus has been away from his hometown, presumably, for many years.  He’s in his early 30’s, and gaining some fame in Judea for his teaching about God’s inescapable reign of justice and love.  His teaching is more than a bit radical for his day.  The people of Israel live under harsh rules and inescapable violence of Roman occupation.  

Jesus’ message that God’s kingdom, a place of freedom and justice, love and plenty, has come near, offers a breath of hope to all kinds of people. The love he embodies is so powerful that he heals people who are blind and lame.  He casts out spirits - and people’s lives are made whole.  And Jesus doesn’t care who you are - he heals everyone.

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?  Healing and wholeness.  Love and welcome into a family-like community where everyone is seen and lives equally.  Freedom from injustice and oppression.  No more outcasts.  No more hunger.  No more fear or sickness.  No more war or gun violence killing our children.  Just love.  God’s love.  Love that washes over us like streams of cool, refreshing, life-giving water.

Jesus has been out teaching and healing, and he comes home to Nazareth.  Given the place of honor, he teaches in the synagogue.  “Many who heard him were astonished.” (Mk 6:2b) They wonder aloud how he could have learned these things, and by whose power he does miracles and heals people.  Isn’t this the simple kid from down the street?  In suspicion and discomfort, their attitude changes - from amazement to defensiveness.

Jesus is rejected by those who should know him best.  These are the friends he played and learned with as a child - and the adults of the village that raised him.  The families who journeyed with his on faithful pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and the ones with whom his family shared the Sabbath and Passover and Yom Kippur.  And, yet, they cannot hear the Good News he teaches - that God’s healing and redemptive love is for EVERYONE.  Even the people who make us uncomfortable or afraid.

Mark tells us that Jesus could do no deeds of power in his hometown, except a few healings (which were probably not insignificant to those who were healed).  

The next sentence catches my attention.  “And he [Jesus] was amazed at their unbelief.” (Mk 6:6) Could Mark be suggesting that a willingness to believe in some way opens our hearts to God’s deeds of power?  Not that God’s power is limited by some human effort, or lack thereof.  But that our willingness, or resistance, to be a vessel for God’s healing and reconciling power changes how God is able to be present to the world?

Put another way, if we resist God, resist acknowledging our gifts, resist offering our lives, our words and actions, then God is less able to be known by other people.  God is only known by people through people. 

What are we here for, if not to be disciples of Jesus, learning by doing? Making God’s unlimited love known to all people?

If we are indeed partners with God in healing and reconciling the broken places in our world, then everything we do in our lives is in some way sacred work, what churchy people call ministry. 

We are given gifts for ministry at our baptisms.  Gifts for living our lives in ways that create healing and reconciliation in the world.  Some of those gifts are immediately obvious, and others are gifts that we grow into.  And we are always growing and learning.

As human beings, we also possess reason and the ability to choose how we use the gifts we receive.  We choose whether and how to partner with God.  And, being human, we are not perfect.  We fail.  Often. We cannot do everything we want to do, nor can we do everything well.  We actually need other people to share in ministry with us.  

Which brings us to the second story in the Gospel today.  The story of Jesus sending out his disciples to practice their ministries, teaching about God’s reign of love and justice, healing people, and casting out demons.  He does not send us out alone.  He sends us out in teams, knowing full well that we cannot thrive in ministry alone.  That no one of us has all the gifts, and together we will be able to spread the good news to more people.

We are not to take too much with us - only a staff for support and protection.  No bread, no bag, no money.  Wear sandals, to protect our feet, our best asset for a long journey.  Wear just one tunic or cloak.  

The most important part of our ministry is the people we meet on the journey.  To see them as whole and beloved of God.  To remember that the Gospel cannot fail, and thus to share Good News as earnestly and honestly as we know it.

We are not alone.  We have one another.  We have the love of God, known to us in Christ.  We have faith that the world is longing for the message of hope and peace we have to share - and that our gifts, whatever they are, are just right for sharing that message with the world.

Our ministry may take us to unknown and unwelcoming places.  We are called to sow the seeds of God’s love wherever we go, shaking them off our sandals when we leave a place.  Even if our message is not wanted now, we shake off the dust and seeds so that holy love can continue to grow there.

Every person here has been given gifts, seeds of Holy love, that are unique to you.  Ways that you communicate, see the world, experiences that you have had.  Every bit of you, every moment of your life, has been preparing you to share God’s love and healing with the world. We never know which of our small acts of kindness convince the world of God’s love.  

So, come and eat at God’s table.  Eat and be strengthened in body and spirit. Pray for the world, broken as is the bread we bless and share.  Pray for the people young and old who are crushed, made invisible by indifference and violence.  Let your heart be opened, your spirit set on fire. Find someone to join you and go out into the world, teaching and healing in the name of the God who loves, forgives, and heals us all.