Saturday 15 June 2024

Psalm 142

Background
The preceding verses have been a breathless sequence of events: the disciples are sent out, Jesus feeds 5000, Peter twigs that Jesus is the Messiah, and Jesus is transfigured on a mountain. Our text today brings us back to earth with a bump: the disciples encounter something which confronts both their faith and our modern worldview.

As they descend the mountain, the disciples encounter a desperate father who says: "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son. He is my only child." His tone of voice invites us to wonder how often people have seen his son and chosen to look away.

When we read this passage, we, too, might wish we could look away. Demon possession, a dramatic seizure, and a hard saying from Jesus to his disciples (he says he is going to be betrayed) make for uncomfortable reading. Jesus’ words and actions challenge us to think more deeply about the interaction.

Many see in this interaction a pre-scientific attempt to understand a medical phenomenon: epilepsy or schizophrenia. The moment passes, and the boy is made well.

Others will prefer to demythologise it and interpret it theologically. For them, the exchange is a metaphor for Jesus’ victory over the powers of darkness. Jesus is triumphant over all evil and oppressive forces, and this is an indication of the coming kingdom of God.

Some will see it literally: there is a demon, which is subsequently cast out.

Jesus sees a child in need of healing and a father asking him not to turn away. The disciples and the impure spirit are rebuked, but the boy is not: he is healed and returned to his father. Jesus refuses to turn away, looks at the boy, and heals him. However we read it, there is an invitation to act like Jesus – not to look away from things or situations that provoke or challenge us but to see them as God might, and to act with courage and love.

To Ponder:

• Jesus turns towards the boy, where others might look away. Who or what do I find it difficult to look at and really see?
• What might I see if I were to look at them more closely?

Prayer
Holy God, you turn your face towards us and see us as we are, beloved children in your image. Help us to turn towards the struggles of our world and to act with love and courage. Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Sam Cowling-Green
Sam is Head of Chaplaincy, MHA.