24th Sunday after Pentecost

Peter H. Davids

Byzantine Homilies • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Reading Ephesians together with Luke shows up the parabolic nature of Luke's narrative: some of high status think that they are in with God and must be humbled and called to trust Jesus, while others are outcasts and must be recognized as of worth and commended for trusting Jesus. The goal is to recognize who we are or who the person we are sharing with is and that God wants to make them all into one church.

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Far and Near

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I have spent the last week listening to Out of the Silent Planet

listening gives one time to think

Luke takes the story of Jairus and by careful use of words makes it a parable of similar truths

There are two types of people, some far from God and some near

At least they see themselves in that way

Jairus is a ruler or chief man in the synagogue - he surely sees himself as near to God

But like, at least according to Dante, some bishops, popes, and priests he was further from God than he thought

The woman has been hemorrhaging for as long as the ruler’s daughter had been alive - she could not be observant, was probably uneducated, and could not participate in worship - she surely saw herself as far from God

But like Lazarus in Luke she is closer to God than she thinks

God makes people one, in this case, disciples of Jesus, and he uses the presence of Jesus and the threat of death to do that

Jesus makes them both in some sense disciples

Jairus is desperate because his daughter is dying and so comes out of his house to seek Jesus - he humbles himself

The woman is desperate, having tried every means of healing, yet trusts Jesus. Already humiliated, she dares to touch a tassel on Jesus’ cloak or poncho.

The woman is healed, yet Jesus exposes her so that she hears words of belonging and the truth that she had not stolen healing, but that her trust in Jesus had healed her: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Jairus is called to trust by the reports of his daughter’s death and Jesus’ trusting moving forward with the healing. “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” But rather than making the healing public, Jesus allows only his official witnesses to see; the couple could see there was no mumbo jumbo or medicine, only an authoritative word, but only Jairus is a man and so there are not enough witnesses for it to be officially attested.

While Jesus leaves the house and sends the woman away to settle into her new state of life, both are joined in their trust in Jesus

The end result is that two people who would have avoided each other and were knowingly or unknowingly distant from God are made a new body: “Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

So, brothers and sisters, here we see ourselves, and those far and near from Jesus, and the purposes of God.

I should add “the Theotokos,” but she was already humble and obedient and ready to trust when her story opens

But we may see ourselves, or the outcast over there, or those of another culture or religion far from God, cut off.

Or we may see ourselves, and the important people in our culture, or at least significant portions of the hierarchy close to God, “in.”

But God knows our hearts and he wants us built together into his one temple - that is why he mixes such combinations of people in his Church and why he mixes the various Orders and states of life in his Church.

All must stop despising the other and get their eyes on Jesus and then some must be humbled and others dare to reach out and trust.

The important part is for us to recognize which one we are or which one the person we are evangelizing is and then to act our part or call them to act their part accordingly.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 12-5-2021: Sabbas the Sanctified

EPISTLE

Ephesians 2:14–22

14 For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 11-7-2021: Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

GOSPEL

(24th Sunday)

Luke 8:41–56

41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus’ feet he begged him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As he went, the people pressed round him. 43 And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by any one, 44 came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.