Sunday 08 February 2009

Background

Mark's Gospel begins with echoes of the first verse ofGenesis by telling us that this is the "beginning of thegood news of Jesus of Nazareth" (Mark 1:1).

This opening verse introduces Mark's account of Jesus. He startswith John the Baptist (Jesus' cousin), no further back than that.Mark does not attempt to explain the birth of Jesus nor link himwith creation. But all stories have to begin somewhere. And in asense there is never a beginning but a continuation. Mark placesJesus in the context of the story of John the Baptist. But then heplaces John's story in the context of the prophet Isaiah (verses 2-3).

Today's passage shows that the power and authority of Jesus extendsbeyond what we would today call 'psychological disturbances' (thosethe Bible says are "possessed with demons" or have an "uncleanspirit" - eg Mark 5:2) to those with physical ailments. Today wemight even make a link between the two: a deep depression at theloss of a loved one may also show itself in physicaldisorders.

At the time, no work was to be done on the Sabbath, so it was onlyat sundown that the afflicted were brought to Jesus. This contrastswith Jesus' actions later in the Gospel, where he is accused by theauthorities of working on the Sabbath (Mark2:23-28).

Sometimes we have to rest and other times, act. We need wisdom toknow the difference. In this story, Jesus acts after resting on theSabbath (verse 32).

For Mark, the driving out of demons is essential for illustratingwho Jesus is. Today, some churches use the language of exorcism butgenerally, our post-enlightenment minds shy away from the languageof the supernatural. And yet are we not aware of things thatovertake us and cause us dis-ease?

However, we cannot in 2009 still hold to the language used by Mark.We have seen many Christian gatherings discredited by usinglanguage of demonic possession and not seeking appropriate medicaland psychological help for the 'possessed'. In these instances, theChurch can become a place of abuse rather than a place where "Godheals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm147:3).

So what can the Church offer in 2009? It can be a place ofacceptance for those whom society shuns and finds it difficult toaccommodate. The model of Christian community, which we see in thework of Jean Vanier, a Christian writer, has something profound tosay to us too in the context of health and healing.

Vanier relates the story of a seven-year-old girl, Claudia, who hadbeen placed in an orphanage virtually since birth. Claudia wasblind and fearful of relationships. Although the home wasovercrowded and oppressive, when she was removed from it to join aChristian community, her anguish increased. The structure, whichshe knew, had been removed. She screamed day and night. Thebreakthrough to peace came for Claudia through life in community.It was the patient friendship and love she was shown that finallyled her from self-hatred to trust and faith.

Affirmation therefore lies at the heart of living alongside peoplewith disability. And this affirmation is nothing less for Vanierthan a revelation. In this affirmation, God's "Yes!" is heard.Surely this is a healing miracle too. This was a new beginning forClaudia.

To Ponder

What are our contemporary demons?

To whom in our community do we need to reachout?

How do we create a community where the healingpower of God is able to work?

Can the Church be a place of new beginnings forthose who are broken? If so, how?