6 Epiphany B

The Rev. Susan J. Latimer
Feb. 15, 2009

Last Thursday, February 12th, was the 200th anniversary of the birthday of Charles Robert Darwin, known for his scientific discoveries which led to his theory of evolution of the species. As you may know, the Episcopal Church holds that science and theology are important partners in the way that we understand our world. And so, unlike some other parts of the Christian communion, we recognize the vital importance of Darwin’s theories, and see no problem in believing in evolution and God. As Robin Williams says, in his 10 top reasons to be an Episcopalian, “You can believe in dinosaurs”.

The Episcopal church embraces the search for truth. We believe that the Holy Spirit is continually leading us into all truth. Our Anglican tradition holds in tension the three parts of the “three-cornered stool” - Scripture, Tradition and Reason. Each part informs the other. So when we interpret Scripture, we do so in the light of Reason and Tradition. When we critique our Tradition, we do so using Scripture and Reason. Reason includes logical and analytical thought, intuition, and the wisdom we gain from the physical and social sciences.

Unfortunately for Darwin and the Church, this understanding of Reason as a full and equal part of the Anglican tool box was not fully formed in the 1800’s. Darwin came under harsh criticism from most Christians for his theory of evolution. The Church of England formally apologized to Darwin last September, for “impugning his character, denying his God-given ability to think, and branding him a heretic” in the 1800’s. Our sister Anglican church now has a whole section on their website devoted to Darwin’s life and teachings.

Our own Presiding Bishop, Katherine Jefferts-Schori, spent the first part of her life as a research scientist in oceanography. Understanding evolution has "given me a greater sense of the creativity of the Creator” she says. “Both the Trinity and quantum mechanics are "different ways of talking in quasi-metaphorical language about what's going on in a system that isn't reducible to facts in the way we normally think of facts”

So what does Darwin and evolution and our search for truth have to do with today’s Gospel story of Jesus healing? Interestingly enough, Darwin’s theory of evolution and this story from Mark raise the same question. How can a God of Love, a God of infinite goodness, allow suffering to exist in the world? This is one of the great questions of our faith – something hotly debated, and not easily answered, and I do not presume to give a definitive answer in the space of a sermon. But I believe that we must wrestle with this question from time to time, so here we go….

The man with leprosy said it out loud. “If you choose, you can make me clean”. How many have echoed his words throughout the ages: “If you choose, God, you can heal me.”

Jesus was always healing people, it seems. Over and over, he reached out his hands or spoke the word, and people were healed of their diseases and relieved of their demons. Sometimes, the people who were healed went back to their normal lives – like Simon’s mother-in-law, who rose from her sick bed to wait on the disciples. Some left their old lives in order to follow Jesus - like Mary Magdalene, who was healed of seven demons and became the apostle to the apostles.

Most people we know of who have survived a serious disease, or have been spared by a natural disaster while others around them perished – most of these people have a sense of purpose for their lives. We hear things like “I must be alive for a reason. I have an important purpose in life that I need to fulfill.”

Probably all of us know of at least on “miraculous healing” in our day – a physical healing that cannot be explained by our modern sciences. And we know, as well, people whose physical healing did not happen in the way that they, or we, wanted. It is tempting for us to define healing very narrowly, in the sense of physical healing. For of course that is the ideal – or at least, our ideal. This is what the man with leprosy asked for – to be cured of his disease and all that it symbolized – to be “clean” – to be able to be a full part of the community once again. There are no easy answers to the question of why some people receive physical healing, and others don’t.

For me this question is part of the mystery of God and God’s working in the world. I do not expect to have an answer to this question on this side of death. But that does not mean that I don’t continue to ask the question, particularly when someone close to me is suffering.

One of our seven sacraments in the Episcopal Church has to do specifically with healing. It is called “Unction”, although we rarely use that word, and it is described in the prayerbook in this manner: “Unction is the rite of anointing the sick with oil, or the laying on of hands, by which God’s grace is given for the healing of spirit, mind, and body.”

We usually hear it this way – body, mind, and spirit. The three are closely linked, one with another, yet also somewhat distinct. It is fully possible to be healed in spirit and mind, and yet perish from the diseases of the body.

I believe that when we pray for healing, there will always be healing, but not always the exact kind of healing we would desire.
In fact, all of us will someday die – our bodies will die – and at our death, it is the state of our spirit – our mind and soul – the eternal part of us – that matters the most.

Jesus came to heal, and, even more importantly,
he came to completely transform our lives. He came to bring us abundant life, life that is full of joy and peace.

And so, people who have been through a crisis often come out of it with a greater appreciation of life. They are grateful for every day, every joy, every simple pleasure.

Rachel Naomi Remen, a physician, writes about the mystery of healing:
“In the many years I have worked with people with cancer, I have seen Mystery comfort people when nothing else can comfort them, and offer hope when nothing else offers hope. I have seen Mystery heal fear that is otherwise unhealable. For years I have watched people in their confrontation with the unknown recover awe, wonder, joy, and aliveness. They have remembered that life is holy, and they have reminded me as well” ( MGB 337 ).

This does not fully answer the question of why a loving God would allow suffering in the world, of course. But the thing that makes it bearable is that Jesus showed us that we are never alone in our suffering.
God is always with us in our suffering. Jesus lived and died to show us the true nature of God. Emmanuel – God with us.

As Paul writes in the great hymn of the incarnation:
“…. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God did not regard equality with God something to be exploited, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross.”
Philipians 2:6

It is that self-sacrifice, that self-emptying of Jesus, known as Kenosis, that is the key - both to our understanding of evolutionary creation, and to our participation in the life of God here and now, even in the midst of suffering.

All of us are called by our baptism to be agents of God’s healing in the world. Some are called to a vocation in the healing ministries – physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, counselors, priests and ministers. But all of us are called to work for healing and reconciliation in the world around us. All of us can work toward the healing of relationships, and toward understanding people who are very different from us. All of us can continue to seek the truth, so that our understanding of God is more and more complete.

May God the Father bless us, God the Son heal us, God the Holy Spirit give us strength. May God the Holy and undivided Trinity guard our bodies, save our souls, and bring us safely to that heavenly country, where he lives and reigns for ever and ever.