In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Luke 3:1-3

We are once again in the season of Advent. I spent a greater part of my life thinking that this liturgical season was a mere prelude to Christmas. Despite growing up in a staunch Roman Catholic household, I had very little understanding of the traditional themes of Advent; death, judgment, heaven and hell. To be honest, I can understand why these traditional themes have gone by the wayside. No one wants this festive season to be tempered by somber themes.

There is a shift in the spirituality of the church over the years. I am not here to talk about the good ole days; just about the change. When I was young, my parents used to drag me to funerals. I’m sure some people might feel horrified about what I am going to say. My first funeral experience occurred when I was about five. My parents often reminded me that I asked why everyone was so distressed while my uncle was sleeping peacefully in a box. My parents had to take me aside to tell that he wasn’t going to wake up anymore. Many friends of my age and older had similar experiences. We learned about the reality of death at a very young age. Amazingly, none of us were traumatized by it. However, today we find a church which has detached itself from the discussion of death. Even the traditional themes of Advent have been replaced with more amicable ones like hope, peace, joy and love. Frankly speaking, I wasn’t aware of these new themes until recently. I guess I am a little bit of a traditionalist. I prefer the traditional ones.

Death, judgment, heaven and hell are still relevant today. People still think about them. People still fret about these themes. Just because we stop speaking about them, they do not dissipate from reality. How we face death and its aftermath determines how we live our lives today. Almost every religion and notable ancient philosophies approach the subject of death first before developing their ethics. About the time of Jesus, among the Gentile world, the title, “savior”, was given to a philosopher, Epicurus. His philosophy has often been unjustly defined as one of hedonism. Nothing could be further away from the truth. Epicurus was concerned about death, more specifically, the fear of death. We, rational beings, cannot avoid this subject. We are fully self conscious and part of this includes our awareness of our personal mortality. Thomas Aquinas wrote part of the argument of the soul’s immortality is the resistance against its demise. We believe that it is unnatural that we should just evaporate upon death. We fear and dread this possibility. In our hearts, most of us fear death, not death itself but what comes after. We are afraid of being judged. We like the idea of heaven but we cannot discard the notion that we could end up in the alternative place. Hell has its own history. During Jesus’ time, hell was less sinister. It was a place of a shadowy existence with no real influence nor impact in the real world. Epicurus came up with an convincing argument that served to placate troubled souls for a season. However, it didn’t stick.

Avoiding these subjects doesn’t make them go away. These themes are part of our reality and they cannot be suppressed. They usually come in different creative forms. Today we are confronted with an array of movies and literature which speaks about the end times. Their depictions of our end is usually worse and more depressing than any medieval art and literature of a morbid nature. Even in religious circles, there is a tendency to be fascinated with death and destruction without much hope. Recently, one of our youth who is now trying to break free from homelessness shared that she has been watching so-called Christian movies about the end times. She described a movie to us which was nothing more than a sensational horror movie peppered with a brief moment when Christ rescues His chosen ones. It doesn’t seem to have much of the gospel. Jesus seemed to be absent in all the death and destruction. The gospel always places Jesus right in the midst of darkness so that His Light would shine brightly.

The primary purpose of the season of Advent is to remind us that we are a people awaiting for the return of our Heavenly King. In the early church, the first disciples really believed that Jesus was going to return in their lifetime. Jesus said something to that extent. It wasn’t just their own impression entirely. They sold their belongings and lived in communities. They did not see the advantage of holding onto to things that would rust and rot. They had their eyes on things eternal. The early church did not build buildings. It wasn’t necessary. They thought Jesus was going to establish the eternal temple. Then it became apparent that God works on his own time table and nothing done with human hands could hasten His return. The early church also understood that no one could truly predict His return even though some so-called prophets claim that it is going to happen very soon. No one knows the time, not even Jesus. He said it Himself (Mark 13:32). The signs are there. They have been there for two thousands years or more. We can’t just go on signs alone. Despite the delay, one thing is for certain. We profess it in the creed,

“And He shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.”
We, as His people, will be judged according on how we prepare for His Return to this world. We will be judged! Either when He returns in Person or at our death.

The word, “judgment” is the terrifying part of death. Most likely most people fear death because of the possibility of judgement. There are churches which preach that we will bypass judgment as believers in our Lord. They say that Jesus has paid for all our sins and now we have a “Get out of judgement card.” Even though they might say this with utter conviction, it is not according to what Jesus taught. He said that there will be judgment. He will separate the sheep from the goats. To the sheep, He will say, ”You gave Me water when I was thirsty, food when I was hungry, clothes when I was naked, visited Me when I was imprisoned. To the goats, He will say, “I do not know you.” In the same gospel, Jesus said that many will insist that they did all kinds of religious acts in His Name but their spirituality did not exceed that of the Pharisees. The sheep followed the footsteps of the Shepherd. This is how they prepared for His return. They followed in His footsteps.

In the above gospel text, all those who were in authority and power at the time of Jesus are listed. These were the people who ruled the world and perhaps in their minds they thought that they held the future of the world. John the Baptist was an unsophisticated simpleton compared to these dignitaries. However, he knew how to prepare the way for the Messiah. He set the path for our Lord in such a way that many even confused him for the coming Savior. In the gospels, we will read many instances where John the Baptist had to clear up this misgiving. In the early church, people saw Jesus in the disciples who prepared for His return.

How blessed will it be if people saw Christ in those today who are awaiting for His return? Perhaps this will be the question that will be asked of us when we are judged; Did people see Christ in us?

Death, judgement, heaven and hell are not meant to scare us into action. Hell is not about torture. It is about a meaningless existence. We as a people, aware of His return, are given the highest vocation that is available to humanity. We are called to prepare the world to receive our most excellent and benevolent King. Death reminds us of the short time. We need to use our time wisely. Judgement is on how we live our lives and whether we prepare the people around us to receive the King who is to return. Heaven is knowing that we have lived our lives worthy to be called His sheep. Advent beckons us to reflect on these things.

Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’ John 18:36-38

The last Sunday before Advent is the Feast of Christ the King. Therefore, the main theme of this reflection is celebrating the Kingship of Jesus.

In Jesus’ times, kings and queens ruled the world. A nation wasn’t considered a true nation unless it had a monarch. The Old Testament tells us the people of Israel rejected God because they wanted a king. It wasn’t because they didn’t want God in their lives. They felt that they weren’t a real nation unless they had a monarch. Pilate wanted to find out if Jesus wanted to be a king. It is not because he believed in Jesus’ sovereignty. He wanted to find something to accuse Jesus. He wanted to reduce Jesus to a common king so that he could treat Him as one. Jesus as Himself was too complex and strange for the Roman Governor. He wanted someone more manageable. He wanted to reduce Jesus to a common king.

This is not the first time. The gospel of John tells us a story where the crowd tried to force Jesus to become their king (John 6:15). He refused and withdrew into the mountains. Even before this, we read in the gospels of Matthew and Luke where the devil tempted Jesus and offered to make Jesus a King of this world. There was a hefty price tag involved. Kingship and power in this world always come with a price tag. It would have reduced Jesus into a mere politician. Jesus would not settle for something so low. Today, the temptations is still here but not for Jesus. We are faced with the temptations. We are tempted to reduce Jesus to the lowly status of a common King or a socio-political leader. Sometimes people use lofty terms saying that Jesus is the King of their nation. It might sound noble and great but it greatly reduces the true nature of our Lord’s Kingship.

First and foremost, Jesus would have been a terrible King of any nation in this world.

A monarch of any given nation is primarily concerned with the welfare of one’s particular nation. The same can be said of modern politicians. A good and decent politician is only concerned with the welfare of the country one is chosen to represent, albeit not always the case. Sometimes we hear discourses about monarchs and politicians making altruistic agreements with less fortunate nations. In reality, there are no such things as altruistic actions in politics. Everything comes with strings attached. In fact, this is how to world functions in many aspects of society. Nothing is done for free. Jesus would have been a terrible King.

Jesus was truly altruistic. He did not do anything for national nor personal gains. He healed and gave freely without even expecting any gratitude from the people. He did not even require them to become more religious. He never demanded strict obedience to the Law although He Himself fulfilled it according to its true essence perfectly. Furthermore, He never mingled with powerful people who could have helped him to advance his cause. Instead, he worked with people who had no power nor influence in society. He never did anything to improve the local economic status of his society. In one occasion, He caused tremendous damage to the economy of a village by expelling demons into swine causing their demise. These animals were the major economic source. He did this to save the soul of one solitary person who was considered an outcast. It was not worthy investment by worldly means. The people of the village invited Jesus to leave. His ministry was bad for their business.

If Jesus were to stand for election, no one in their right mind would vote for Him. No rational political party would consider Him as their candidate. They would be right. Jesus would have made a terrible political leader. This does not mean Jesus wasn’t political. He was and is but His politics is not of this world. It doesn’t quite fit into the ideologies that are floating around in this world. People try to put Him in box and they try to reduce Him into something that He was never meant to be.

Having said this, Jesus did not deny that He was and is a King. In Jesus’ time, kings and queens played an important role in society apart from politics. It was something that was important to the common people. Perhaps something for those of us like myself who grew up in a republic might find hard to understand. The people used to look to the monarch for moral guidance. People thought whatever the monarch did was the way things are supposed to be. Consequently the religion the monarch adopted naturally became the religion of the people. The people believed that the King knew what was morally best for his subjects. The book of Ecclesiastes, a book which is presently part of my daily devotion, talks about how to live our lives. The conclusions reached in this book have a prominent place and consideration in the Old Testament because its author is believed to be a king. Perhaps, this role of the monarch is much more important and higher than mere politics. This special role of the monarch earned them the title as Sons or Daughters of Heavens in the ancient world because they revealed to the people how to live one’s life in harmony with the divine laws. We know from history that the best of these were far from fulfilling this role perfectly. Most of them, if not all, had their hands tainted with blood and violence. Our Lord is the only one who fulfilled this role perfectly.

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Pilate wanted Jesus to be a mere political leader. It was easier for him to deal with one. Today many want to do the same because we think of politicians as our servants. It is more an idealistic view than a realistic one. However, Jesus is not our politician. He is not working for the betterment of our nation or any nation. His Kingdom has only one commitment. According to His answer to Pilate, it is to reveal the Truth. Then Pilate asked the perfect question, “What is Truth?”

Today, everyone claims to be the spokesperson of the Truth. Tons of news outlets and religious leaders claim objectivity when sharing the Truth. In reality, any such claims reveal a lack of understanding of the Truth. We, as human beings, do not have the possibility of knowing the Truth in its entirety. Relatively speaking, we have the brain of the size of a bacteria when we look at the immensity of the universe. God stands above and beyond our universe. He is the Truth, the Way and the Life.

In our Christian faith, when we say Jesus is the King, we actually mean that He is the standard for us to live our lives. The Kingship of Jesus is not the kind of Kingship where we put Him on a pedestal and admire Him from a distance. Jesus never lived in a castle and addressed His subjects from afar. He was and is a King who lives the Truth deeply engaged in the everyday lives of the people. His Truth restored and healed people. His Truth received those who were considered a menace to society. He engaged people who lived in the most difficult situations and was able to bring the Truth to them in its purest and genuine form. He was and is the King who is able to suffer injustice and cruelty and yet, never compromise with the world to alleviate His suffering. His Truth was able to forgive and love those who committed the vilest acts against His person. His commitment to live the Life and Presence of the true living God was never compromised. He remained the Salt and Light until He took His final breath. His resurrection proved that His example of Lifestyle was the only way to have an eternal impact in this world.

Jesus is our Eternal King! He is not to be reduced to a mere monarch of any nation. Kingdoms of this world come and go. Our eternal King remains relevant throughout the times among all peoples of the world including our homeless youth. The only way to celebrate the Kingship of Jesus is to make a commitment to ourselves that He will be the only King of our lives. In other words, He will be the standard and model for us to mimic in this life. He is not a King to be proclaimed with mere words. We do this for our earthly kings. Our Heavenly King is only truly honored when we walk in His footsteps.

Let us celebrate Christ our King in the most worthy manner possible!

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’  Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’ Mark 13:1-2

Once I contemplated apply for a clergy position in England. This was many years ago. The profile of the community seemed to meet my personal idea of ministry. It seemed to be a good match. However, if I was to be honest, the most attractive thing to me was the church building. Maybe I am just superficial or maybe it is because I am an Anglican. We are drawn to beautiful sacred architecture. This beautiful ancient church was built in the year 1000. I was enamored by its history and beauty. The idea of serving in a parish enthralled my soul. However, the more I thought about this, the less sure I became about the prospect. I was afraid that the church building might come tumbling down on my watch. I know some might think I am a little paranoid. Most likely, you are right. Nevertheless, nothing lasts forever. All our best constructed buildings one day will come tumbling down. All our institutions will end one day. All our nations will be nothing but a page in the history books. Nothing lasts forever. As the wise preacher of Ecclesiastes taught us; “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”.

Everything under the sun, good or bad, has a beginning and an end. Perhaps we are relieved when a bad season completes its turn but we also have to accept that the contrary is true. This is not pessimism. It is just the nature of Life. Sometimes good things can end up being a curse. We tend to hold onto these and refuse to accept their end. We want them to last forever when they were meant to be temporary. The result is that the “good” can become a curse and blind us from seeing the eternal God present in the new things which come our way.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” Mark 2:22

In the gospel text quoted above, Jesus prophesied the destruction of the Temple.

The Temple played an important role in the lives of God’s people. It gave them their spiritual identity. It was a symbol of union. The people of Israel were very diverse. In the time of Jesus, many lived in different nations and consequently spoke different languages and had different customs. Most of them risked their lives to travel to Jerusalem to worship in the Temple. It was the only place where they were permitted to offer sacrifices to God who redeemed them. It also played an important political role and still plays the same role today. I am not going to address this here. The point is that the words of Jesus should have been devastating to the apostles. They believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The people expected the Messiah to restore Israel and elevate its glory above all the nations. The Temple was also an important symbol of Israel’s past glories and now Jesus prophesied that this symbol would be utterly destroyed. This should have disturbed them but we don’t see such reaction. In fact, they were curious about this event but they didn’t seemed to be disturbed. Nevertheless, these words of Jesus were used against Him by the religious leaders at his trial. They considered his comment to be blasphemous. The symbol came to be on par with the very thing it represented. This was not the case with the disciples. They did not allow the old symbols to hinder them from receiving the New Wine.

Recently, I was given a book published in 1857. The store owner had given up hope of ever selling it because it was in English and it was an old theological book. I had never heard of it. I later learned that it is considered to be a Christian classic; “The Christ of History” by John Young. The author argued that Jesus, without resorting to miracles nor religious arguments, can be shown to be the true divine Christ just through his earthly life and teachings. The book has enriched my reading of the gospels. It has made me pay attention to things which I have often overlooked; mainly the very beginning of His earthly ministry. Jesus chose simple tradesmen to be part of His movement. Since I come from a time when kings and queens play a passive role in society, I never paid much attention to this peculiar act. However, in Jesus’ time, this was not how a King established His Kingdom. Usually, powerful lords and nobles were chosen for the task. This makes logical sense, after all what would tradesmen know about administrating lands and issuing out orders. The success of any Kingdom demands capable people to be in power. The Kingdom of God is not one of the many kingdoms of this world. It is not something constructed out of the wisdom of humanity. It doesn’t subject itself to the seasons of Time. It is an eternal Kingdom.

Jesus chose people who had no intention of being anything great in this world. We have to remember in Jesus’ time, the social classes were more rigid. No one moved up or down the social ladder. Everyone was born into their place in society. Jesus never made any promises that His disciples would move up the social ladder. Nonetheless, their social status doesn’t change the nature of their souls. It did not diminish the clamor of their souls to be connected to something eternal. For them, the Temple is something which helped them be connected with God and nothing else. In a way, they had a purer idea of its symbolic value. This is why Jesus chose his disciples amongst these people. They were more sensitive to His message because they sought an eternal connection for their lives. Those who had other interests besides the yearnings of their souls held on to symbols as if these were the very thing that satisfied their souls.

I found this to be true in our ministry to the homeless youth. We have young parents in our midst who baptize their children in the Roman Catholic Church while they themselves attend a Pentecostal church regularly. They also seek constant spiritual guidance from us but they have never heard of the Anglican Church. Meanwhile each church tries to assert the importance and essential role of its presence in the world. Our youth just see each symbol as a connection with God. They are not devastated if a symbol stops serving its purpose as long as there is a connection with the Eternal Father who is always present in their midst in some shape or form.

In the gospel text, Jesus was talking about the end times and His imminent return. Here we are two thousands later and Jesus hasn’t returned yet. However, the warning is still relevant. First, we have to recognize the symbols for what they are. They have a season in our lives. They are good and valuable but they only serve the purpose of connecting us to the Eternal God. When they stopped doing this, then they are no longer valuable. If we insist on holding on them, then we will deviate our eyes from the eternal and idolize the very thing which is supposed to save us from idolatry. In the worst case scenario, we continue to seek other symbols which do not connect us with anything eternal but drive us away from all things holy and sound.

Someone once asked us if our youth misses us when we are away. They miss us but not as much as some imagine. They miss us because we have become part of their daily routine. However, in their lives, people come and go. They used to the transitoriness of life. They know people are in their lives for a season. They don’t fall apart when the season ends. We learned this important lesson from them. Everything has its season whether good or bad. In each season, there is something to connect us with the Eternal. Therefore, we should always seek to identify this connection in our lives. It helps us recognize the person of Jesus clearer. However, we should also be careful not to confuse one thing for another. The symbol is a mere symbol. It has its season and it will end one day.

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ Mark 10:46-49

In another time, I would have just focused on the miracle and nothing else. Today, life has placed us in a different situation. Bartimaeus is no longer a person distant from my reality. He is one of our homeless youth. He was a person thrust into a condition which he never desired. Now, he had learned to adapt and apparently survive in that condition. Our children share the same story. They did not ask for this. They were thrown into this condition. Jesus identified them as the “little ones”. This gospel story gives a glimpse of what it means to be a “little one”. No one gave any heed to Bartimaeus’ constant plea. Many times in the gospel people approach Jesus pleading for healing. No one stood in their way nor reproached them. However, there were instances in the gospel where the crowd was in the way of a miracle. One was the poor woman who suffered from intense bleeding and the other was the four friends carrying their paraplegic friend. On these occasions, these people never gave up because their faith told them that Jesus was and is different. Their faith found a way to get to Jesus. This is a story about faith in action. In fact, the gospel of Mark is unique in this manner. It paints a picture of Jesus and helps us understand that our faith needs to act in order to approach Him. There are always many obstacles in the way.

The “little ones” were people who were considered insignificant and hardly tolerated in Jesus’ society. The gospel tells us that the people treated the blind man sternly as if he was an unruly animal. I wish we could say this doesn’t happen anymore. Unfortunately, this is not a thing of the past. This attitude is still present today. In more affluent societies, these “little ones” are hidden from sight. They are carefully tucked away in institutions far from the public. In other countries, they are out there in the open. Sometimes their presence can be overwhelming as it is in the city where we live presently. The local people have developed a defense mechanism against these “little ones”. They choose not to see these “little ones”. They can walk past them and not even notice their presence. They have become voluntarily blind. Some time ago, my sister visited with us from Australia. She was appalled to see how people walked by our homeless children as young as ten years old without batting an eye. I can understand that people don’t want to be weighed down by the distressing situation by pretending that the “little ones” don’t exist. Consequently, Bartimaeus did what was necessary to assert his presence in a society blind to his existence. He constantly yelled out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”

This simple plea did not escape the attention of the earliest monastic movement know as the desert fathers and mothers. They developed a formula using very similar words, “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on us, sinners.” Besides the Lord’s prayer, this simple formula known as the “Jesus Prayer” is perhaps one of the most commonly used prayers among present day disciples of Jesus. The purpose is the help us keep our focus on Jesus which was exactly what Bartimaeus did. He heard the insults and stern warnings of the people but despite all this, he kept his focus on the person of Jesus. The desert monks went to isolated places, not to escape the harsh realities of life, but to keep their focus on our Lord so they could be more effective disciples of Jesus in society. This prayer is for people who want to live out their faith in action.

The author of the gospel doesn’t give us much information about our blind man. We don’t know if he was born blind or became blind through illness. Perhaps this is not relevant. It is enough to know that this man was blind and, in Jesus’ time, there was only one job opening for people like him; begging. It helped him survive and his ailment played a major role. His blindness garnered the necessary sympathy from the masses. Unlike Bartimaeus, in today’s world, many of us are choosing to be blind and deaf. In many ways, we are doing this in order to survive. We use our gadgets to shut ourselves away from the real world and get a filtered version of reality. We see what we want to see and listen to what we want to hear. Nothing inconvenient is allowed because it might upset our world. Many are very happy to remain in this state of self-induced blindness and deafness. Bartimaeus was no different. He adapted his lifestyle to his state of blindness and learned how to survive. Change or healing in his case would require a complete change in his life. He would lose his livelihood. He would lose the pity of the people to which he had grown accustomed. Healing came with hefty price for Bartimaeus.

Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
Mark 10:51

I always thought that this was a strange question to ask. I mean that the man was blind and it was obvious what he needed. However, now I understand. People sought Jesus for all sorts of reasons. Some of them just needed Him to heal them and then we never hear of them again. There were perhaps some minor changes in their lives but they tended to forget about our Lord altogether. However, this blind man was asking for something more. He wanted to see in order to change his life completely. Jesus wanted to hear him articulate his desire which our blind friend did. Now, it is important for us to enquire what would give this man the courage to transform his life so radically at this point. No one ever changed careers in those times. You were either born into a trade which gave you a place in society or you were an outcast. Bartimaeus established himself as a blind beggar. We might think that this is a lamentable state to be in society but it was better than not having a place at all. Being able to see means that Bartimaeus needs to find something else to do in a world where there were no opportunities nor options. Jesus was just a poor itinerant preacher. There was not much prospect there. Being healed came with a hefty price and our blind friend chose to pay it.

Jesus recognized the courage of this man. Bartimaeus listened to his faith and not to all the other voices which were putting him down. I think that there is a lesson for us here especially in these modern times. There are many voices beckoning our attention in this world. Many times these voices tell us what to see and hear. They encourage us to isolate ourselves from the world. They want us to become partially blind and deaf because it will keep us safe.

Bartimaeus had a safe place in society but it was not a life-giving space. It was extremely limiting and dehumanizing. Our blind man perked up when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth. A small detail which speaks volumes. He had been feeding his mind with news of Jesus. He knew of his works and mercy. He knew that receiving sight from this Man was going to be different. It was Jesus and no one else who gave Bartimaeus the courage to be healed. The crowd wanted to keep our blind friend away from Jesus. They thought he was unworthy. Today’s crowd tries to convince us to listen to different lies which separate us from the rest of society. Jesus wants to heal us. He wants to give eyes and ears to see the world as it is and most importantly, He is able to heal and cure its ailments.

Bartimaeus was healed and then he followed Jesus so that he too could become an agent of healing. This is faith in action. It is not just about receiving healing but it is about becoming healers too. Many were just happy to be healed and then they did nothing with their lives. This story is not about healing. It is about listening to our faith and allowing it to transform us into agents of healing. Bartimaeus could have remained as he was and never enjoyed the fullness of life. Jesus wants to heal us so that we become healers, too. Our happiness and fulfillment lies in this. However, it demands a great change in our lifestyle. We cannot go back to things as they were after our healing. We need to consider carefully before asking for this healing. Perhaps praying the prayer of Bartimaeus can help and give us the necessary courage. After all, it worked for him. Therefore, let us join him and pray the prayer he prayed;

“Jesus, Son of God, Have mercy on us.”

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’ Mark 10:35-37

This is quite a strange request!

Perhaps a little bit of context might help to appreciate its strangeness. Jesus had just told his disciples that they were going to Jerusalem where he will be tried and crucified. The apostles were taken by fear and Jesus did very little to appease them. In reality, there was nothing He could say that would be amenable. There are tragic things in life that are just inevitable, as much as we like to avoid them. His imminent death was one of them.

In the light of this, it appears as if the brothers were being callous with their bizarre request. However, there is enough information about them in the gospels to paint a more faithful picture of their character. To say they were a little feisty would be an understatement. They also tended to lean towards the violent side. When a Samaritan town refused passage for Jesus and his disciples, they wanted to destroy it. On another occasion, John wanted to prohibit a man using Jesus’ name to cure someone. He was willing to do anything to protect His Lord. John identified himself as Jesus’ favorite. At least, he seemed to hint at it in the fourth gospel. All this shows us that these brothers were not impervious to Jesus’ psychological and emotional state as He talked about his impending death. They wanted to take charge of the situation. Like most of us at times, they felt that God needs a little help from us to set things right. Therefore, it was necessary for them to have the power and authority do whatever was necessary to establish the Kingdom of God; maybe even prevent Jesus’ death in the process.

The brothers were being very human. We can appreciate this because we are just like them. Whenever we are threatened with chaos and possible destruction, we take refuge in our base human nature. A certain notoriously anti-Christian philosopher delighted in this aspect of our human nature. He called it our barbaric nature. He claimed that kingdoms and civilizations were established because of this barbaric nature within us. He is right. The Persians, Babylonians, Greeks and Romans did not establish their empire through love. They established it by showing brutal force and violence. Our human nature delights in this. We read and admire the feats of these mighty and violent conquerers. We watch movies about them. Their values and principles are constantly shaping our hearts and minds. Little by little it draws us away from the principles and values of our Lord.

John and James wanted to wield power over the enemies of Jesus. They were not being egocentric but just worldly minded. The same philosopher I mentioned criticized Christianity because it taught something contrary to our human nature. He claimed that Christianity was anti-human or rather anti-life. He was wrong unfortunately. Christianity has succumbed many times to this barbaric nature. This barbaric nature is strong in us. The philosopher was also wrong that Jesus was against our human nature. He did not negate our nature but showed us how to become truly human. Even this philosopher, in contradictory terms, admitted this about Jesus.

Jesus conquered this barbaric nature within us. He died without succumbing to it. The temptations were there. In this story, John and James were a temptation to Him. At the passion, Peter drew a sword to protect Jesus. He was another temptation. The crowds provoked Jesus hoping that His barbaric nature would come out. They were disappointed. Jesus overcame this nature and conquered and transformed the world without shedding one drop of blood except His very own.

There are no secrets with Jesus. He shares with us how to overcome this barbaric nature within us. He reveals His secret,

“You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.” Mark 10:42-44

Jesus is turning our world upside down. He is starting a revolution here. In order to fully comprehend His kingdom we need to abandon the old and embrace the new. The “old” made us look at kings and queens or those who hold power for solution. The Kingdom of God points to the lowest class in society. Servants in the New Testament are many times synonymous with slaves. Jesus pointed to the lowest member of society’s social ladder as an example for us to emulate. This is as revolutionary and radical today as it was in Jesus’ time. We may be scientifically and technologically more advanced than our ancestors but we still look to rulers and tyrants to be our examples. No one notices the servants. These are still considered to be the weak ones.

Of course, we know that slaves did not serve their masters with love but many times with justifiable disdain. Slaves become slaves throughout history through violence and brutal dominance. The radical difference in the gospel is the servants are those who have embraced the transformative power of Love. John and James were interested in power. Jesus pointed them towards Love and Love expresses itself through service. Jesus became a servant because of Love. We cannot appreciate the true value of Jesus’ example unless we encounter the Love which transformed Jesus into a willing and loving slave. Even just writing this seems to feel unnatural and strange. It goes against our human nature. This is good. The gospel is about radically changing how we think and act in this world. Jesus is revealing to us something new because He wants us to be noble beings like Himself. Our true happiness lies in it.

The question is whether this way of living is something practical in this world where brutal force and violence reign supreme.

First of all, it empowers each and everyone. All of us can become servants. It doesn’t matter what state we find ourselves in this life. If we allow the Love of God to conquer our hearts, we can become effective revolutionaries for the Kingdom of God. Secondly it is much more effective and eternal than any actions of the so-called heroes which this world have produced.

In my life, I have been excited and disappointed by countless politicians. They are also very forgettable. They don’t mark my life. However, the simple gesture of a pastor who received my friend and I into his house and spent time just listening to our insecure teenage plans and goals has influenced the way I live my life forever. Being servant is actually very easy but requires sacrifice. Sometimes it starts with a simple sacrifice like giving up our place to help someone in need.

More recently, I saw a couple in line to enter a very busy and cheap restaurant. Usually people wait for a long time to get into the place and after a long wait this couple were finally first in line. Just then a woman stumbled pass them behaving like a drunk person. Most people ignored her and she stumbled into the street and almost got hit by a car. The couple gave up their place to help her. I watched the whole scene from a short distance. The woman wasn’t drunk but something was wrong with her. She was feeling a little disoriented. We decided to help too. We already had our lunch so we told the couple to go ahead with their lunch and we would take over. The couple lost their place and had to go back to the line. There were many people who saw this woman but they were only ones to sacrifice their place to help her. We managed to get the woman to her home safely and we walked passed the couple. They asked about her welfare and we assured her that she was safe. We don’t know the name of the couple. However, their simple gesture marked me. It gave me hope. It reminded me that the Kingdom of God is alive and real. The couple lost their place in line but they found a place in our souls.

This is not a feel-good story to end this reflection. However, it is a living proof that if we want to live a revolutionary life which brings forth true transformation, then we need to follow the footsteps of the One who came to serve and not to serve. This young couple, if they continue to respond to the compassionate promptings of the Holy Spirit, will leave their marks in the lives of many people. All of us can serve, even our homeless children and youth. We encourage them to do it. I am happy to say that some of them have responded to this challenge. They are still homeless but they are making an impact in people’s lives much more than any politicians or people who wield power in this world can ever do. This is the revolutionary lifestyle Jesus challenges us to live. It is going to leave eternal marks of love in people’s lives. Most important of all, it is the key to living our lives as complete and noble human beings.

To be great in the Kingdom of God is become the servant of all.

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not defraud. Honor your father and mother.’ ” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. Mark 10:17-22

The gospel of Mark tells us very little about this man. We don’t know his age nor his status. It just tells us this man was doing a most remarkable thing for a religious Jewish man of his time. He knelt down before Jesus. He was a student of the Law. He has kept the Law all his life with great rigor. Yet, he committed an act which would have certainly raised some eye brows among the Pharisees, especially in regards to the first commandment. Even Jesus confronted him on the issue. It wasn’t that Jesus was denying anything about Himself. He merely wanted to know if the man had carefully considered what he was confessing before the crowds. Only God is good and therefore what was he saying about Jesus?

“What I believe comes to me in the face of my mother. It comes to me in the scenes that I participated in with my brothers and sisters in my Father’s household.” Henry Ward Beecher in his sermon, “Moral Earnestness and Moral Honesty”

This man’s spirituality was different from that of the Pharisees. It wasn’t based on mere head knowledge. It was a living faith based on examples of those who allowed the Light of God to shine through their lives. He saw this Light shine its brightest in the person of Jesus. He was drawn to our Lord knowing that He had the answer to Life eternal.

In the present times, we commonly refer to “eternal life” almost synonymously with life after death. However, in Jesus’ time, the concept of the afterlife was not clearly defined. Eternity was something only associated with God. Therefore, in order to live eternal life meant to discover how to live our lives in harmony with God’s values and standards. It was the only way to live a life which would never be forgotten and erased by the temporal time. In other words, a life remembered by the only One who is eternal.
Jesus gave him the standard religious answer. For some, this would be adequate. However, this man’s soul hungered for something more. Most of the time, we give the standard religious answer to our homeless youth. Recently, a youth asked us about church. I am sure that she was thinking about our church. I was wearing my clericals when she asked this question. We advised her to seek a church closest to her where she feels comfortable. Our church is good but it might make her too self aware of her social status. She needs to be in a place where she can focus on her relationship with God and nothing else.

Jesus pointed to the Law because this is a good place to start. However, this man had vigorously followed the Law all his life. Unlike the Pharisees, he was far from being a hypocrite. He was a genuine seeker of God and Jesus recognized this. The gospel tells us that Jesus loved this man. Our Lord knew that this man was sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit in his soul beckoning him to take the bold step towards life eternal. Unfortunately, we know that this story is a tragic one. He just couldn’t take that step. One thing held him back.

Sometimes people from affluent cultures find this story disturbing. I think there is an idea that Jesus expects all of us to give up everything we have and give it the poor. Once a member of my parish asked me if every the average American was doomed because of their wealth. She is right in one thing. Your average American or European or Singaporean is wealthy compared to many of the poor in the world. However, she is wrong in thinking that Jesus expected everyone to give up everything to follow Him. It was something specific for this man. Jesus wasn’t demanding it from him but merely pointing out what was hindering his spiritual growth. This man’s soul was troubled. He realized his life was empty and unfulfilling. Our Lord was showing what was needed for this man to be faithful to the yearnings of his soul.

This story is not about money nor wealth. Although Jesus did point out that rich people have a harder time entering the Kingdom of God not because of their wealth but because of their sense of security which comes from it. It doesn’t mean that others have a easier time. All of us have to be willing to surrender whatever gives us a sense of security if it hinders us from following the deepest conviction of our souls. In the case of this young man it was his wealth but Jesus addresses other things too in other parts of the gospel such as our families, our desire to please or impress others or even our fear of losing our lives. None of these things are bad in themselves except perhaps money. Jesus does mention that it is a false god and never a servant, therefore we need to be very careful how we deal with it. This is an entirely different issue which I am sure we will deal with in the other parts of the gospel. For now, it is about our sense of security. All of us need some thing to give us a sense of security to face this ever changing world. Consequently none of us are willing to abandon the very thing giving us courage to face the world and in many ways, part of our identity. In this sense, this man is not very different from us. Even our homeless youth can identify with this man.

This is perhaps one of the hardest things for us to learn in our ministry. We see homelessness as our biggest nightmare. Perhaps the man in our gospel story today was afraid to be homeless. It is understandable. Our youth were forced into it and they have discovered ways to make themselves feel safe and secure in this brutal environment. In a way, their identity is based on this sense of security they have. Therefore, they are not willing to abandon it for something better because they are not quite convinced that it will be good enough. They need guarantees. Our word alone won’t do. They need something more concrete. The man in the gospel wasn’t quite sure that there was enough guarantee that his life will be better. The problem is that Jesus doesn’t guarantee anything but eternal life. Many times, eternal life is not necessarily synonymous with a comfortable and smooth life.

The disciples themselves were scandalized by the tragic outcome of this episode even though they had given up many things to follow Jesus. Perhaps they were hoping that Jesus would make an exception for the man this time. However, it wasn’t Jesus who was demanding this of this man. Our Lord merely was trying to help the man see what was holding him back. God doesn’t make unreasonable demands. It is our soul; it belongs to God and can only be truly satisfied with it dwells in the presences of God. The man’s soul wants to be free to live out his life in accordance with God’s love. Jesus invited him to be in His presence. However, the risk was too high. The disciples asked the question that we desire to ask; “Can anyone be saved?” Jesus gives us a hopeful and realistic answer;

“For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

These beautiful words cannot remain as they are; mere words. God makes it possible in the practical sense to satisfy the deepest yearnings of our souls. We can take the Pharisees’ approach and reduce everything to mere doctrine and theory. They believed that their head knowledge sufficed as a guarantee for eternal life. However, those who are sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit know that they need something more concrete and real. God gives us His Light and He allows His Light to shine in people close to us. These are not necessarily saints in the traditional sense where they are put on the pedestal and made to look like some sort of superhuman. These are average people like ourselves want to live their lives quietly in harmony with God’s eternal love. In my life, I had the privilege of meeting many of these people who helped me take the step towards eternal life. One of the them is an elderly church member named Nancy Henry. I don’t think she is with us now but she remains in the souls of many. She was never in charge of anything in the church. She was never in any leadership roles. In fact, not many people noticed her and I am sure that she never knew I noticed her. Nancy lived her life unnoticed. However, many noticed her love. She visited all the shut-ins in the parish. She made sure none of them were alone for all the holiday seasons. She always served silently in the background. She was just a loving presence and lived out her eternal life in this manner. It was the rector of this parish who pointed her out to me. He told me that she was his example to live our eternal life and encouraged me to seek out people like her in my future parishes. I followed his advise and continue to discover people like her who give me the courage to take the step towards eternal life.

We may not be ready to give up our sense of security to follow our Lord. However, God helps us by giving us people to hold our hands along the way as we take each step towards a fulfilling Life in Him.

Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female.” “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Mark 10:2-8

It is hard to talk about divorce. It is a sensitive subject and much suffering has been associated with it. One day we had a discussion about it at a clergy meeting. A wise clergy commented something interesting. He addressed the argument that rampant divorce was a recent phenomenon. He pointed out in the past espousal abuse and murder was abundant albeit still an actual problem. The possibility of divorce has improved the lives of many not to mention has saved many lives. My clergy friend has been happily married for more than thirty years. He wasn’t defending something personal. He was and is a person who confronts reality as it is. He is not saying divorce is a good thing. It is a tragic reality but a necessary one. This is really the issue here. Jesus confronted the harsh reality of life. He read the Law in a compassionate manner recognizing the frailty of our human nature. However, He did not compromise God’s perfect and holy will. He did not say God turns a blind eye on our failures. His presence in the world is to reconcile this discrepancy between our human reality and God’s perfect Law.

In a way, this gospel episode is very relatable to our ministry. Many people are appalled when they hear about children and teenagers living and sleeping in the streets. We have been here for some time now and we are still disturbed by it. Some people say that a child should be in a safe environment with adults to orient and help them. They should get a proper education and they are right. There are tons of things that should be done for the sake of the children and teens but, unfortunately, this is not the reality. In every country children and teens are constantly neglected and abused on a daily basis. Many suffer things that none of us want to imagine. Our children and teens live in the streets because they found a way to escape these things. In countries where there are no homeless children and teens they still have tons of broken children and teens who suffer without any reprieve. This is the sad reality of life. The hardness of the human heart prevails in every society. Jesus confronts the ugliness present in every human society. God’s Law are given for us to have an abundant life but our hearts are not always attuned with His goodness.

I don’t believe that humans are inherently evil. Some churches teach this doctrine. However, if we were inherently evil, then people would never respond to any goodness in the world. No one would flock to Jesus. He would have been murdered the very moment He appeared with His message. Jesus recognized that people are good but at the same time there was a problem in humanity. St Paul expressed our human dilemma perfectly in Romans 7:19-20,

“For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.”

God sent His Son into the world because He knew that people want to be good but their hearts lead them the wrong way. The ministry of Jesus is to reconcile us with God’s divine Law. He said that He did not come to change God’s Law. He came to show us how we can overcome our weaknesses. Therefore, the big question is how do we overcome our sinful nature which insists on walking down the wrong road?

“Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” Mark 10:15

A superficial reading of this gospel episode could give someone the idea that the author has a problem with attention. He appeared to have changed the subject from divorce to the acceptance of our children in Jesus’ fold. However, the author is constructing an argument. The Pharisees have a problem with Jesus because they were trying to trap Him into their way of reasoning and thinking about the world. However, in order for us to understand Jesus we need to abandon our old mindset and embrace the new. An old wineskin cannot contain new wine. In order to embrace the new, Jesus tells us that we need to become like children.

Recent research in neuroscience tells us that a brain of a child under five is much more advanced and sophisticated than the most advanced computer that we have now. A child’s brains can absorb and process information about the world at a faster and more efficient rate independently than any computer. A computer is completely dependent on an outside party for these processes. During Jesus’ time, this knowledge wasn’t available. However, adults knew that children could not be included in adult matters because they were still in the process of organizing their world view and understanding of humanity. Perhaps they didn’t use such words to express this but they had the same idea. No one then thought children were innocent and pure. This is just a romantic notion of modern times. Ask any school teacher and they will tell you that children can be quite scary. In the streets, most of the homeless adults are afraid of homeless children under 12 and we completely understand. They are usually the most cruel and dangerous ones mainly because they have yet to understand the consequences of their actions. They know stuff; in the streets unfortunately they know how to do bad things, but they don’t quite understand how everything is linked together.

The disciples did not allow the children to come to Jesus because they thought that they do not have the capacity to figure out who Jesus is. Our Lord rebuked them for this rational action on their part.

We, modern people, can look to neuroscience to help us understand why Jesus disagreed with them. Research on the subject at this time tells us that children look to the adults to help them organize all this information that they receive from their senses and experiences. They watch adults deal with the world and formulate their own mindset based on it. The children flocked to Jesus because they saw in Him someone whom they would like to become. They wanted to formulate their worldview according to His way of thinking. Jesus recognized this and He not only welcomed them but said that we should all become like them. In order for us to understand the Kingdom of God we need to have a mindset organized around the character and life of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Many times Jesus confronted the spirituality of Pharisees showing that they displayed a religiosity that was not any different from the pattern of this world. His death on the Cross, based on their lies and manipulation of the crowds, revealed this more clearly than anything else. None of us reading this can undo the values of the world implanted in us by ourselves. Perhaps we can do something to stop feeding them by not listening to people like the Pharisees who twist and manipulate God’s Law to fit their view of the world. However, there is a more positive way to transform our mindset. It is by following the example of Jesus’ life. Jesus told us that He did not come to condemn the world but to save it. The word, ‘save’ can also be understood as to heal. Maybe it might help us understand better how to walk in His footsteps if we substitute the word for healing. Jesus healed many in His ministry. He always sought to find those who needed healing and many times they found Him even when it was inconvenient for Him. His healing ministry allowed Him to see the harsh reality of our existence. He saw how people were abandoned and left on their own. He saw the hardness of the human heart but He overcame it with love and compassion. The Pharisees resolved this situation by separating and condemning these people as hopeless sinners. This is very much aligned with the ways of this world. However, God’s ways are different. He addresses the harsh and brutal realities of Life and He shows how to live our lives in a way that will reconcile our human fragility with the perfect Love of God. He showed us the path of Life, albeit a difficult one. It is a straight and narrow path but one filled with grace, compassion and forgiveness.

Jesus knew the hardness of our hearts and yet He believed in our capacity and desire to be good. He treated us as such. Perhaps this might explain why Judas was among His apostles. Despite knowing what Judas would do, Jesus still believed that he had all the potential to be good. This is something hard for our human nature to comprehend but Jesus thinks differently from us. His mind is conformed to the Love and Mercy of God the Father. We need to become more like Him in order to understand the good news of the gospel. Unfortunately, we are still taunted by the persistent mindset of the world. We need not fret. God’s grace and forgiveness will help us to become like little children and transform our minds to think and act like our Lord and Saviour.

Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you.
John 5:14

Healing is not synonymous with transformation. Healing is the first step. When someone is in pain and despair, they are unable to process things clearly. They need concrete help. When we read the stories about healing in the gospels, Jesus does something in a concrete manner. Prayer should not be a substitute to concrete action. It is always a prelude to it. However, healing is never the finality. It opens the door to speak about “sin”. In the gospels, “sin” is not reduced to certain actions but a lifestyle. The word means we are missing the mark, or rather, aiming at the wrong thing. All of us want to have a good life yet, most of us base this on the wrong things. Getting the aim or purpose of life wrong leads us to a chaotic and self destructive lifestyle. Healing gives people a moment to reevaluate their lives and make a concrete decision. Unfortunately, many who are healed do not change their lifestyle. This is why Jesus advised the man, “Do not sin any more”.

One of the most significant incidents which happened this year in our ministry was the stroke suffered by Patricia. In 2013, we were dealing mainly with children and teenagers and maybe young adults. Today, we have expanded our age group. Our young people grew up and became adults. Patricia is 43 but she has been living in the streets since she was 14. Today she is the matriarch of two generations of children born into homelessness. It has been a lifelong struggle for this family to break the cycle. Her two older daughters found a place to squat, not the best circumstance but better than sleeping in the streets. As a result, they are able to send the grandchildren to daycare center and preschool. Patricia and her other children including Tainá are renting a tiny room. Three grandchildren under seven and three adults sleep in this tiny space. Patricia tries to hold the family together which is not an easy task. The constant financial struggles coupled with the proximity of easy money through criminal activity always pose a challenge for this family. Consequently, Patricia’s stroke was a big blow to the family. She was left partially paralyzed. We spent many hours at the intensive care with Tainá. This young girl had to carry the family now. She is only 21 years old but is already a mother of three. In many ways, she is still very much a child herself. Naturally she was completely devastated. In a private moment with us, she broke down in tears and thought that she was going to lose her mother forever.

Patricia was eventually sent home and the family struggles began. Brazil has universal health care but there are still lots of financial burdens incurred by this illness. Patricia needed diapers and a wheelchair, as well as constant care which included a control diet. Besides these, there is the expense of getting her to and fro physical therapy. All these are a challenge for a family which can hardly feed everyone. Besides these, Tainá has three young children under seven to manage. We thought that she could eventually have a mental breakdown. Instead, she stepped up to the plate. Perhaps for the first time in her life, she felt that she was capable of doing things responsibly. She had to put aside all her insecurities and low esteem to ensure that her mother was getting the necessary care. We helped as much as possible with the expenses so that the family could get through this time. Even some of the other homeless youth helped. One in particular begged for rice and other staples to take over to the family. On one of our home visits, Patricia shared that she was afraid that she would never be healed. We prayed with her. After a short period of physical therapy, Patricia is able to walk again. She still needs lots of work on her arm. However, the healing process has began. Patricia is able to do many things on her own, learning to be independent as much as it is possible.

Tainá did not come out of this situation unscathed. She has been suffering with anxiety attacks recently and has frequent migraines. Finally she sought help. The Universal Health Service here includes mental health treatments too. Tainá talked with a therapist and she was able to figure out one of the primary causes of her anxiety. The whole experience has presented Tainá a different way to live her life. She enjoyed helping and taking care of her mother. Now she did not want to go back to the life she led before. Technically, she was not homeless but there are still many of the negative aspects of homeless youth subculture which are strong in her. Her boyfriends were into crime. She was comfortable with many criminal elements in the streets. Now she wanted change. She did not want things to be better: she wanted a transformation. She decided to walk down to a church near to her house and pray. She told us that she made a decision to leave behind everything and make living her life for Jesus a priority. She did this on her own without any manipulation from outside. She is like the prodigal son who returned to the Father’s home. We ensured her that we will help her in her journey. She started attending church every other day because she wanted to fill her mind with new things. She has a renewed hunger to know all things pertaining to God. The church has a spiritual retreat this weekend. She did not have the finance for it but some of the church members seeing her genuine thirst for God decided to pay for her. This will be her first time participating in an event outside her comfort zone. She realized that a simple thing like a weekend spiritual retreat requires some expenses. She does not have toothpaste nor shampoo nor other basic stuff. In her family, they have one of each for the whole family. We ensured her that she will get all the things she needs to help on her journey to transformation. This girl is truly changing. She is able to see God’s hand in her life.

As a final thought, both healing and transformation in this particular case are a communal affair. Healing does not happen with a mere waving of hands. Jesus is not a magician. He is the King who ushers in the Kingdom of God, a community of healing and transformation. In a way, all Christian ministry involves going into the world and becoming a community of healing and transformation. Both healing and transformation are difficult. Therefore, it is necessary that there is always a community of love and compassion standing behind us whenever we take a step towards them.

But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Mark 7:25-28

This is one of my favorite stories in the gospels. It has the perfect dose of everything. There is controversy involved; Jesus uses a racial slur to refer to the woman. It addresses the unsettling theme of racism; not the kind that is blatant and confrontational. It addresses its more subtle and persistent cousin which lingers in every culture. It also registers the only time in the gospels when Jesus loses an argument. This is quite amazing in itself considering that Jesus often argued with the great religious minds of his period and always left them dumfounded. This time the tables have turned. Jesus was left speechless. The woman belonged to an ethnic group which was especially despised in Israel at that time. In some translations of the Bible, it states that she was also a widow. In all aspects, this woman had all the odds stacked up against her; an outsider, a woman and one without any male relatives to vouch for her in a male dominated society. In spite of all this, Jesus did not make it easy for her. We don’t see a Jesus who is easy going and welcoming here. Instead, He seemed to be indifferent to her plight. Therefore, this text leaves us with a great challenge today. We need to interpret it without tarnishing the image of our Lord and down playing the uncomfortable elements involved.

“Therefore Jesus had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.” Hebrews 2:17-18

Jesus was born into a community. Inevitably He was part of a society which inherited values as well as prejudices. The latter is present in all societies and sometimes it is present in us without us realizing it. In this passage, Jesus displayed some unfavorable attitudes towards this woman just because she belonged to a certain ethnicity. We might feel uncomfortable saying this. Maybe we might try to find a way to justify this attitude although it is unnecessary. Some say that Jesus was testing her. I am not sure this makes it better. It makes Him out to be cruel and callous to her desperate situation. Perhaps, it is worthwhile to consider that Jesus was addressing something that is part and parcel of every human culture whether we want to admit it or not. Jesus did not shun away from it. He confronted it in His own life. Jacques Ellul, a well-known French theologian, put forth a possibility that Jesus was challenging those around Him to face their prejudice. He did not do this by pointing the finger at others. The Pharisees would have done this. Jesus, on the other hand, started with Himself. Jesus was fully human and therefore, the temptation to treat and reject someone based on their nationality was very present in His life. It took the faith of a Gentile woman to help Him overcome this temptation.

Before I venture too far, I would like to emphasize that this whole episode is about faith. It is not the kind of faith which is often interpreted as an reasonable submission to something beyond our capacity to understand. This woman’s life was in a state of chaos. Her only child was living in a chaotic existence. At least, this is how we can understand the essence of demonic possession. It hurls a person into a relentless chaotic state. This woman needed order to be restored in her life. Faith is not about believing in things that are unreasonable. It is a conviction that there is something which brings an unshakeable order into our lives in an otherwise chaotic and constantly changing world. This conviction led her to Jesus. This conviction gave her the courage to go to a place where she knew she was not wanted nor welcomed.

The gospel of Mark tells us that Jesus was in a house and this woman entered the household. It was not permitted for a Gentile to be in a Jewish household. This did not stop her. Her faith brought her to the feet of Jesus. Her faith informed her that Jesus was different. She was convinced that He was not one to be held back by the prejudices of His people even though Jesus called her a dog, a derogative term for the period. Her faith was unshaken. She knew that there was more to Jesus than meets the eye. She had eyes to see and ears to hear. Something which the religious leaders who were instructed from infancy in the Jewish faith were unable to see and hear in the person of Jesus.

The story also addresses the faith of Jesus. It is not common for us to reflect on this subject. We tend to think that Jesus was born with a fully developed faith. However, He was fully human. As human beings, our faith grows as we mature. Jesus was not any different. His faith informed him of His true vocation and our faith does the same. He allows His faith to reveal to Him how His ministry was to unfold. Our faith informs us how to live out our lives in the new Creation which His ministry has ushered. In this story, His Faith helped Him overcome the prejudices which we inherit from the communities to which we belong. He listened to this woman confront all the obstacles against her through her unwavering faith. Jesus allowed Himself to be taught by this woman because He is Humble and Open. This woman knew that despite her lowly status, she still could have order and healing in this chaotic life. She went home richer and wiser than any of the religious leaders of her time. Besides this, she is the only one in the gospels who has ever won an argument with Jesus. This is quite a feat. Consequently, she has earned a place in our reflection on the redeeming power of the gospel.

The social elements in this story are important but they are not the principal focus here. There will also be discrimination and racism present in every society. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do anything about it. However, this story is about the faith of the person who suffers. It is about those people who don’t have the political voice and status to do anything about the tragic realities of life. However, this does not mean that they are helpless. This story brings hope to these people. In reality, this woman represents the majority of us. Most of us are in reality considered insignificant in our society. We are just a number for the most part. Even if we have some status now, eventually we will also slip into anonymity. Such is life but there is nothing to feel depressed about. There is faith and hope. This woman shows us that faith is able to give our lives the stability in a world of chaos. This faith is able to confront the mountains in front of us. We should not pretend that these mountains don’t exist. Jesus brought it out into the forefront. The woman listened to her faith and went home knowing that no matter what the world tells her, through God’s mercy and grace, she was not just worthy to receive crumbs but she was given the Bread of Life. Her faith helped her understand that she has a place at the table of the Lord as a child of God.
Her simple faith did much more for her than all the religious knowledge and social privileges had done for the Pharisees of her time. It is not about what we know but how we allow our faith to guide us to the Table which our Lord has prepared for us. We are not worthy to gather the crumbs under His table but our faith will open our eyes and ears to discern through our Lord’s grace we always have a seat available for us at the table.

This is definitely one of my favorite gospel stories.

Jesus said to them, ‘Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?’ (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, ‘It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’ Mark 7:18-23

Religion has always been concerned about what we put into our bodies. Jewish people have their strict kosher laws. Muslims can only eat halal food. Hindus have their own dietary restrictions and I am sure that there are many others. They believe that what goes into you has the possibility to defile you. This is not just true for religious groups. It happens among the non-religious, too. We have countless of diets out there. There are people who restrict what they eat because of ethical reasons. Whatever diet we follow, we cannot help but feel we are better than others for following our choices. It is human nature. However, this is not what Jesus is talking about here. He is addressing the idea that we are not better people morally because we don’t put certain things into our bodies. We judge those who do harshly.

In my neighborhood, there are many crack addicts. They are not hidden in some corner. They are very visible. I do not know if this is just true for this city or if it is a phenomenon in every mega city. The media loves to report on them. Almost everyday, reporters call the addicts all kinds of derogatory names making no qualms in painting them as the dregs of society. People paint a horrid picture of crack addicts. However, we encounter them everyday. Most of the time, they are oblivious to the world. Sometimes they apologize just for being here. It is quite sad. Recently one was begging outside a grocery store where Mary, my wife, was in line buying something. For no rhyme or reason, a woman in back of the line yelled out to the addict sitting outside the store to get a job and stop being an useless being. Another woman in line commented that she wished that she could be like him, sitting around and doing absolutely nothing all day long. My wife is a brave soul. She turned to this woman and asked her if she really wants to spend the night sleeping outside on the cold floor and eating leftover food everyday. Besides this, she would have to endure insults hurled at her all day long. The woman was taken aback from this statement. Then she changed her tone. She admitted that the addict’s life is nothing to be envied. However, the first woman that yelled at this addict was adamant. She thought that she was right in her opinion. I don’t disagree with her. She was right in her opinion. Jesus would have agreed with her although he definitely would not have expressed it in her way. The addict needed to seek a better life. However, the problem is not her opinion. The problem is her heart. It was full of hate. She hated this addict because of what he put into his body. Most likely, it had nothing to do with the addict. She just had a lot of hatred to vent and it was socially acceptable to pick on a crack addict. She assumed that he was someone evil and morally corrupt and, therefore, felt at liberty to discharge her words of hatred on him. I am sure that she left feeling justified. The Pharisees would have felt the same way.

A few days later, Mary and I had an opposite experience. We decided to take a walk in a neighborhood where we lived before. It just happened to be one of the seediest parts of the city. I know this is far from any romantic place one would go with one’s beloved. It just so happened that we were close to this area where we once lived in the 90’s. I was curious to see whether there was any changes. The neighborhood ironically is named, “Light” (Luz) when it is really quite a dark and depressing place. The buildings looked rundown and abandoned. Most of them should have be condemned decades ago. This area is also infamous for its drug addicted sex workers. Most of them look like the caricature of thin and haggard addicts. It is quite unsettling. A homeless man walked past us and then he stopped and said something. At first, I thought maybe he was asking for some money. He smiled and said that he knew us. Then he went on to say that he has seen us working with the homeless youth. He shook our hands and continued, “It always gave me great joy to see you working with the children.” He was really happy to see us. We told him that we were still working with them. He smiled and repeated, “I knew that I knew you!” He walked away smiling. The strange thing was that many years ago in the mid 1990s, around the very same area, as I was walking by, a sex worker approached me thinking I was a possible client and another worker stopped her and said, “Respect him. He helps us.” She then apologized and said that her friend did not recognize me. I never met any of them before and we did not minister to sex workers. However, she understood the meaning of the gospel wherever it is lived and that it cannot be contained to just one group. Its joy and hope always spreads all over. I will never forget her. Her kind words are imprinted in my soul. I will never forget this homeless man, too. His words, as simple as they were, came out of the abundance of his heart. They were words spoken out of love and they have a permanent and lasting impact in our souls. His personal situation is quite dire. Most likely he is an alcoholic as many homeless adults are. It wasn’t the alcohol which brought them to the streets. It was something else. They need alcohol to cope with the sense of hopelessness. However, despite his situation, there is still something hopeful in his heart. He is able to take pleasure in seeing hopeful things happening around.

There are two types of Christianity striving in this world. One follows the footsteps of the pharisees. It is a religion which judges people according to what we put into our bodies. In other words, it is a spirituality seeking to divide us into two groups, one that is worthy of love and the other which deserves all our hatred. Then there is the Christianity of Jesus, the only true expression. It preaches the good news for all peoples. It is a message that comes from the depth of God’s heart. It is not a message which tries to put a positive spin on everything. It is one which engages in the harsh realities of Life and yet always proclaims hope. It proclaims life-giving words of genuine Love; the most essential thing necessary for every human person in this world in order to derive meaning for their existence. It is a message of healing and restoring Love. It is a message proclaiming the goodness present despite the circumstances and situations. It also recognizes hope when hopelessness reigns. It is able to overcome the hatred which paralyzes and cripples the souls of many. In order to preach this gospel, we first need to allow the divine Light of the gospel to expose our desire to hate and allow His love to transform our heart. Only then, we can become agents of the gospel of Jesus and reject the religion of the pharisees.