As we gather, we recognize that we
live, work, pray, and play in the traditional,
unceded lands of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves to
the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

Call to Worship:

He took our infirmities
&
bore our diseases.

Matthew 8. 17

O, Come.   Let Us Worship.

Gathering:

Almighty God,
to you all hearts are open, all desires known,  and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts  by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you,  and worthily magnify your holy name;  through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect for Today: 

Merciful Lord, 
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel: Mark 1. 29-39

Sermon:  The Ven.  Brian Evans

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord.  Amen.

“Looking for Jesus”

A week Friday, I wrote about finding silence in meditation. After writing that article, I was reminded of people who go on Ignatius retreats. Ignatian retreats are often 40 days of silent retreat.          

I am sure most of us cannot imagine silence for 40 days.         

Have I ever done one? NO. I have done some 4-day silent retreats. When we did our retreats at the Abbey in Munster, Saskatchewan, the best part—after that sense of ‘being away, no phone, no computer, and no sound messages and simply in the midst of a holy space. Meals even were in community, but in silence, the privacy’—was the Benedictine principle ‘to feed the soul, required a well-fed body.’         

What has this to do with ‘looking for Jesus’?         

The challenge is, if we are going to ‘look for Jesus’, we know who we are looking for. We need to know where we might find Jesus.         

The first mistake we often make is to look only in the ‘pre-prescribed’ locations or presumptions we have grown up with: the tabernacle/temple/synagogue/ cathedral, principle church, parish church model.          

Yes, Jesus often worshipped in the synagogues, we might say. At the same time, Jesus performed or conducted ministry in homes and in the city square. I am sure Jesus conducted more worshipers outside of the temple than inside. Jesus did not check credentials at the door; Jesus simply served all people.         

So, what happens when we do find Jesus?         

We have this great example for us, today, in the healing of Simon’s mother-in-law. What is important, are the words from the Greek language in this narrative.         

Jesus did not simply heal her so that she could go to the kitchen and ‘get on with looking after the boys.’

We read, ‘She sprang up ready to serve.’

Not only was she healed, but she was also ‘lifted up’ in the same sense as that of “resurrection.”

She is described with the root for the word deacon or diaconate. This ‘lifting up’ was far more than the result of taking ibuprofen. She is raised up for a new purpose: a purpose to affect the world!         

Simon’s mother-in-law has been raised up to serve, in response to God’s presence in her life. 

The movement for ‘equality in the workplace’ must appreciate Jesus at this moment. The ‘raising up’ is not about serving the men of the household. The ‘raising up’ is about her work: her work that would reach out to the world.

Jesus refused to be defined by old idealistic ideals. Jesus was a person who looked to the future. Jesus never stopped looking for new ideas, or a ‘new program,’ to coin a phrase from our contemporary world.         

Jesus’ greatest desire (my interpretation) was for his work to show forth in the people ‘resurrected in service for the kingdom’.

This is not some idealistic ideal of ‘all people should be in ordained ministry.’ It is about our way of life. In the 70’s and 80’s, we called it ‘whole life Christianity.’         

At the conclusion of our reading today, then what do we read?

Two verses are key here:

1.34
And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out demons; and would not permit demons to speak, because they knew him.

1.35
In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.         

‘Jesus went on a retreat.’ It may not have been for 40 days; it may have not been for 4 days. It may have been simply for an hour, or for two hours. He went simply to be quiet and listen to the voice of God.          

Putting this into context: we need to imagine the scene.

First, Jesus has given the people an example of why he raised people up to serve. When Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law, the fever was released, and she ‘rose to serve.’ 

‘To serve’ is the word we derive in the English language from ‘diakoneo,’ from which comes “diaconal.”          

In the early church, it meant ‘one who is vested with authority and honour.’ In fact, Jesus describes himself as ‘one who serves.’            

Then, there is this short “add-on” to the reading today.

Listen for a moment:

^‘38 He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also, for that is what I came out to do.” ³⁹ And he went throughout all Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.’         

I like this image of Jesus going throughout Galilee. Out of interest, I discovered the region of Galilee was about 1800 sq miles. It would be like taking the area of Vancouver Island from Victoria to Nanaimo and dividing it down the middle: approximately 60 miles by 30 miles. What is interesting is, there would have been about 250 towns and villages, in that geographical area. Certainly, they were a ‘day’s journey’ on foot. It gives us a perspective of the scope of his ministry.          

Being as old as I am, I can recall some of our “itinerant” preachers in the early days of our lives as settlers in this land. Of note in my memory is that of one Archdeacon Hassell. 

His area would have been approximately 30 miles by 40 miles. Over the centuries, worship outside of the dedicated church building has been more prevalent than inside.          

I think of the ‘ministry of the gospel’ over the centuries: of the healing ministry, and the sharing of the good news. This is the ministry we are each called into, the ministry of the diakonia, ‘diaconal’ ministry.          

To make it clear, this is a ministry we all share in. 

In Matthew’s Gospel, we get the message handed to us in very clear and concise few words with ‘the Great Commission’:

Mt.28. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”         

Returning then, to this idea of ‘a retreat’, or as Jesus did ‘going out to a place to spend time in prayer’, or simple meditation (as I described a week Friday) is for us to first realize the purpose should not be to find Jesus, as he told the disciples in the Great Commission, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”          

Except!         

Except, we live in a time in which we describe ‘success’ as ‘getting out of the wilderness,’ rather than looking for God’s presence in the ‘wilderness’ of our lives. We are better at praying for people, than we are at walking with them in those difficult journeys of life, the lonely moments.          

We need then to invite people to see how God was with them along the way, just as God is with us, each and every congregation at all times. God is with us. 

We don’t need to “look” for Jesus, because Jesus is here!

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let Us Pray

As we celebrate Christ embodied in human form, we pray for God’s blessing on the church, the world, and all of creation.

Silence

Everlasting God, you bring your healing power to the church. Give your church a spirit of unity, and prayer, that we discern your way for us in the world. 
God of grace, receive our prayer.

Creator of the ends of the earth, you make the grass grow and send rain for the soil. Bring your creation into harmony and balance. Give animals their food and provide healthy shelter for all people. Inspire us to honour the miraculous beauty of all you have made. 
God of grace, receive our prayer.

God without equal, your steadfast love endures forever. Bring the leaders, elected officials, and peacekeepers of our towns and countries into understanding and unity. Guide them to serve with compassion and understanding. 
God of grace, receive our prayer.

God who strengthens, you lift up with your hand any who are suffering. Heal those who are broken-hearted, and strengthen the weak, and all in need, especially: Gail, in the loss of Roy; John; Sue; Sheila; Wareenee; and those on our hearts. 
God of grace, receive our prayer.

God who gives power to the faint, challenge us to share the faith stories of what God has done in our lives. Open us to receive the unique ways God is at work in your people, especially those whose perspectives challenge our own. 
God of grace, receive our prayer.

God who calls each star by name, we remember all who have died. Shelter all who mourn with your mercy and care, and give us hope in your promised salvation. 
God of grace, receive our prayer.

Knowing the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, we offer these prayers and the silent prayers of our hearts in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.    

As our saviour taught us to pray, we say:

Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us fom evil.   For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen.

Eternal God,
May we, through your holy spirit, find peace beyond all telling. May we who share the good news of the heavenly banquet being prepared for us. This we ask in your name: in the name of our saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The Blessing: 

And the Peace of God, 
which passes all understanding, 
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge
of the love of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you, always.  Amen.