Friday, February 10, 2012

Today’s text

Mark 1: 40-42

A man suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to him and pleaded on his knees saying, 'If you are willing, you can cleanse me.' Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said to him, 'I am willing. Be cleansed.' And at once the skin-disease left him and he was cleansed.

Reflection

What would you know if all you ever knew about God was this short text? What is given to you here?

I frequently asked this when teaching people how to meditate with the Bible. I encourage them to listen to what is said to and in them as they let the words and images come alive within them.

If all you ever had of the Scripture was this story, what would you know?

More than can be written here, frankly. For, the soul of God is on display in Jesus outstretched hand and in his words, “I am willing.’

Healing, making the broken whole--this is the desire of God. This is what God wants to do. No, this is who God is, the substance of divine Being.

The nature and heart of the Loving Mystery of God is compressed into one action, Jesus outstretched hand touching the untouchable, healing the discouraged and broken, consoling the broken hearted and loving those who imagine love is beyond them and always will be.

The heart of God becomes incarnate and walks the earth in our brother, Jesus, and what do we see?

Not fire and brimstone, not anger and judgment but utter compassion for a wounded humanity. We see the desire to reach into the depth of our souls and make whole all that is broken.

Our place in the story is kneeling at the feet of Jesus, bearing the wounds of our lives and begging, “If you want to, you can make me whole. You can cleanse me and make me new.”

We hunger for that newness to wash over us again. We want to live and breathe and smile the purest joy of gratitude for our lives and for being able to feel the fullness of divine love.

As we put ourselves at Jesus’ feet, humbly seeking from the fountain of life and love, we know. We know he is willing, so willingly we return again and again to seek the love that makes us whole.

I wonder about the look on Jesus’ face as he saw the man fall at his feet. He looked with compassion at him, we are told. When I imagine that, I see his face looking at me with the compassion that is the face of God.

Pr. David L. Miller