Eyes Open to the Beauty and the Ugly

A Sermon Preached by Andrew Colman on Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 & Mark 9:38-50

This evening, our scripture reading ought to give a particular pause.

I'd like to say that the Scripture that was read tonight was chosen many, many years ago by whoever set out the three-year lectionary cycle. I chose the Old Testament over a month ago - simply because it was the Old Testament reading, and that Gospel is the Gospel.

And what we find tonight is a story about Genocide, Exposure, and Conviction in the Old Testament, followed by the New Testament where he disciples actively tried to stop others from doing good things, and then Jesus told them that that came at a cost to themselves.

When I came to these texts, having chosen them weeks ago, with Truth and Reconciliation Week in mind, I got chills.

If I ever hear that Scripture has lost its relevance and does not speak to the very heart of our lives, this week's readings, coming at the same time as Truth and Reconciliation Week, will surely be my rebuttal.

With that said, I would like to turn to this evening's Gospel reading.

Imagine. The disciples are out for the afternoon. They were out going to the market to pick up some food. They knew Jesus would be teaching that night, and it was expected that after the teaching, there would be a meal. So they were picking up bread, olives, meat, wine, and many heavy things. It was a lot of work; the sun was high, it was hot. Tired, hot, and sweaty the disciples start to make their way back to where they were staying when they heard something strange.

"Jesus, in the name of Jesus" they heard coming from around a corner. What was strange is that they did not recognize the voice that was saying these familiar words.

They hauled their goods around the corner and saw the person invoking the name of Jesus in the direction of a someone who was dirty. He had been sitting in that corner for quite some time and had not properly cleaned themselves in longer. They were demon-possesed in some kind of way.

"Jesus, in the name of Jesus, demon, come out of this man!" This /stranger/ was saying to this hurting person.

The disciples, hot, tired, and dirty, not being able to make sense of what was going on, after all these were not people from their own crew, dropped their goods and cried out at the person invoking the name of Jesus,

"Stop, stop!" Running, hands flailing, "You don't know what you're doing! You don't know Jesus like we do! We know Jesus! It's us who should be helping this man, not you!”

But it was too late.

The man who was dirty, had been sitting there for days, unable to string more than a few words together, stood up. Looked around like a fog had cleared from his eyes and his mind. And he thanked the two strange people, tilted his head in confusion at the disciples, and walked off.

They had tried to stop them. And they failed.

That evening, something must have reminded them of what they had seen earlier that day, so they told Jesus the story about the others who were casting out demons in his name.

First, Jesus warned them off: Don't do that. Those who do the true work of the Kingdom, like freeing people from the bondage of demons, in my name, must know me in some way or another. 

Don't do that.

But then he ratches it up! Those who cause these little ones, referring to the child on his knee, to sin, it would be better if they had a millstone tied around their neck and jumped into the sea.

And then, he offered a less drastic, more "practical" exaggerated -rabbinic parable. (and it is parable; he does not expect people to go maiming themselves)

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to live with less, like fewer appendages, than to sin.

It’s a jarring teaching because it makes us think of all that we do with all of our capabilities intact and how hard life would be if we were missing something we use without thinking.

It prods at our sin in selfishness or pride and shows that it can cause damage to others, namely by causing the little ones to sin.

For the disciples earlier that day, it was, at least, the sin of pride. 

Now this might be a bit of a stretch - but for them, it was the sin of seeing - or rather not seeing what was truly going on.

Something good was happening - but they chose only to see that their turf was being encroached upon. They were the ones who did the healing.

Their power was shrinking—if there were others who could do good work, then they would be less needed. Others could do what they did! No, they needed to keep the monopoly on healing; otherwise, where would their worth be?

They were not seeing the whole picture! It's almost as if they had one eye closed, shutting out what they didn't want to see.

Finally, Jesus said, "If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out." Maybe he is saying, “ You'll only have one eye,  so you won't be able to shut out what you don't want to see. you'll have to take in the whole picture all at once or none of it at all.”

The whole picture was that the Good Work of the Kingdom was spreading. Open your eyes and pay attention to what's actually going on here—you will change the way you walk, the way you talk, and the way you think.

Had the disciples seen what was really going on and not been threatened by other good things, they would have rejoiced! They would have called others around to come and see that the power of God can work through anyone! It is not a power that is possessed by this select group of followers called the disciples but for everyone! Look! Rejoice!

It indeed would have been better for them to have one less eye and see the beautiful things that were happening than to have both and be trapped in their fear of losing out on the Power of God.

If you put it like that, it actually doesn't sound as exaggerated and crazy as it did on first read.

It /almost/ sounds sensible.

When taken as a rabbinic teaching 

when  the eye we are to lose 

is the one that keeps us from seeing beauty in its fullness,

it makes all the sense in the world!

But of course it goes the other way too. We can choose to close one eye or both to the things that are ugly.

Or worse, we can squeeze both eyes shut as we partake in the evil of the world. That is the legacy of the residential schools in Canada that took place while many of us here were just living our lives. And it still happens in more subtle but no less nefarious ways.

There is still so much ugliness that happens that we need to open our eyes to. We need to be aware there is so much truth about what has happened to and continues to happen to the Indigenous people here in Canada that we need to have our eyes opened. 

This is hard, and it's painful, it is heartbreaking - 

Because of some of the mentoring relationships that I have had the privilege to develop, 

some of that pain and heartbreak has been shared directly with me. 

I can say no more than that, but I can tell you it hurts more than I can say.

I don’t say this because I am looking for a Gold Star, but rather to bear witness to the fact that the shape of my commitment to this Good Work of Reconciliation changed when I learned even just a slice of its truth. 

When we have both of our eyes open and see the ugly for what it is, we will just as quickly see others were doing God's work and see the beauty that comes from the work of the Kingdom in all its forms!

There is some truly beautiful work happening on the reconciliation side of Truth and Reconciliation. Don't get me wrong; there is more truth to be learned and so much more reconciliation to happen. But at least in small corners, astounding work is being done.

Had the disciples been open to seeing everything, they would have seen both the beauty and the ugly—and, more importantly, where they meet!

Had the disciples been willing to see both the beauty and the ugly, they would have seen God at work, more of the Work of God to be done, and a family with which to do it.

The man who looked askance at the disciples might have stuck around and offered to help.

But let's be honest—I made that part of the story up. We don't know that he just left. He might have watched the disciples walk away in a huff and got to work with the ones who healed him. My money is that he stuck around and went to work.

In this work of opening our eyes and ears to the truth and the work of reconciliation, we must move forward in humility and prayer, asking to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Without God leading us, the tragedy and the cost can feel absolutely overwhelming, and the temptation to squeeze our eyes shut is strong!

And if the story of tonight's Gospel has something to teach us - 

it is that it is ok, no it is good to live with with less, 

as in fewer appendages/power or eyes pride/ pride, 

When it means that every single person, 

can live to the full potential that has been set out for them by God