We have been watching this man from a distance, listening to his brave and inspirational words and watching his acts of heart-opening compassion. And now he is here among us, in this country, and thousands have turned out just to watch his tiny Fiat drive by or catch a glimpse of him as he moves down the boulevard in his Popemobile. Thousands of people from all across the county, people of all ages, people of every class and race and culture, people of many different faith traditions and people who are not religious stand en masse for hours just for the chance to see Pope Francis.
Why do they come? Some come surely just to see a parade or the appearance of a well known or popular person, some come as a member of the faithful 1.2 billion Catholics in the world, and some have come because they are drawn to this particular leader who calls us to pay attention to the “transcendent dignity of every human being”, to be responsible by being sources of “hope and healing, peace and justice,” and to join with others in taking “courageous actions to implement a ‘culture of care’ for all in our ‘common home.’ ”[1]
As Episcopalians, we do not have a Pope—no single spokesperson. We have Bishops to guide us, but no one person serves to represent God on earth within our Episcopal church. Rather, we believe that each of us are born as children of God and each of us have a ministry given to us at baptism where we are called to bear witness to Christ and Christ’s church and using the gifts given each of us, carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world.
Most of us do not conform our lives to the teachings of the Pope or his church. And yet many of us strained to understand his words as he spoke before Congress on Thursday and still more of us looked eagerly to find the words contained in his speech later in the day. And there we found a message that was “stunning,” “incredible,” “inspiring,” from an extraordinary moral leader who seems to have transformed this country’s conversation as a result of his 48 hours in the nation’s capital.
In our reading from Mark’s Gospel this morning we hear one of the disciples, John coming to Jesus speaking with alarm about a local healer who is successfully exorcising demons, but is “not following us.” Our ears expect to hear that this healer is not following Jesus, but that is not the concern. This healer is not “one of us,” not under our authority or consent.
In the first century, people who lived in the Mediterranean world were very conscious of in-groups and out-groups. In-groups generally included one’s household, extended family, and friends. Persons from the same city or village viewed each other as members of the in-group when in a foreign location. Complete loyalty was expected from those in the in-group and they were expected to go to great lengths in caring for each other. This generosity was not extended to those in the out-group.[2]
Those who first heard the gospel of Mark would have recognized themselves in the disciples’ sense of protecting the authority of their group and determining who would be able to use Jesus’ name for their work. Early Christian communities struggled in the midst of persecution, inter-religious conflict, and all the growing pains of an infant church seeking identity and faithful witness.
But Jesus who is always about doing the work God calls him to and always about relieving the suffering of humanity, tells his followers not to stop this one who is doing a “deed of power in my name” because “whoever is not against us is for us.” He tells his disciples that whoever shows mercy, whoever is generous and welcoming will receive their reward.
So who should serve Jesus? Who are our coworkers in the faith? Jesus seems to make it clear that followers of Jesus, those who do the work of God, are not identified first and foremost by the names on their buildings—or in our case—our worship bulletins, but by our service to each other in this place and out in the world in the name of and at the command of God.
In fact, God has a history of using those who may be seen as outsiders to carry out God’s work. The Hebrew slaves were delivered through the leadership of Moses, a “murderer.” Cyrus, the king of Persia, released the Jewish people in exile in Babylon and was referred to as “God’s Anointed” (Messiah) even though he did not acknowledge Yahweh as God. Jesus welcomed a marginalized tax collector and a political extremist (Simon the Zealot) into his group of disciples, talked to a marginalized woman at the well, and called someone who had been a vehement persecutor (Saul) as an evangelist and missionary.
When the disciples wanted exclusive claim to God’s reign, he challenged them to see God’s presence and power manifested in those who were not members of their group. “Do not stop him…Whoever is not against us is for us.”
And though we are more than 2000 years away from this story, our culture still finds itself embroiled and passionate about who is in and who is out. Our world has seen countless examples of violence waged in God’s name. The Pope visited Friday the memorial that now stands where the World Trade Center towers were destroyed along with the lives of more than 3000 people and counting in the name of God. Violence is waged in the Middle East against Christians, Jews, and Muslims each laying claim to righteousness in the eyes of God.
With the boiling pot of our next presidential election, we have heard people who want to lead our country, dividing us against each other—oftentimes along religious lines. Most recently trying to demonize and exclude our Muslim brothers and sisters as not being worthy of leadership or even citizenship in this country.
And our church struggles publicly with who determines the right reading of Scripture, the correct way to worship, and even who should be admitted to our churches—who is “qualified” to be welcomed to the table of company with Christ.
Jesus speaks stridently against this practice of setting boundaries around God because in doing so we create “stumbling blocks before one of these little ones who believe in me.” “Little ones” refer to people of all ages and stages who are new to the faith, those who are seekers, those who have just begun to learn about Jesus’ call to love God by loving each other and his ministry to the poor and the excluded.
Jesus chastens his disciples in their desire to stop someone offering deeds of power in Jesus’ name because it can cause those who are new to the faith to stumble—to retreat—to give up their journey in seeking and doing God’s work in the world.
Mark uses particularly harsh words for those who set stumbling blocks or obstacles before the “little ones.” He seems to be combining the metaphor of the community as “body” with the principle of not causing the “weaker member” to stumble. Mark has Jesus saying that as followers of God in Christ we must remove all barriers that prevent others from following God and doing God’s work in the world.
How often have we as members of the church stood in the way of belief or worship or understanding, either our own or that of another? How often have actions on the part of the faithful caused groups to leave the church, or abandon their newly budding faith because stumbling blocks are set in their path, like “You are sitting in my seat.” “You know we have a nursery?” “We have never done it that way.” How many are kept from ever even approaching a place of worship because our differences are more on display than our caring and compassion?
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus shows us the way to the ideal of discipleship as service to others regardless of who performs it or the place in which it is offered. Jesus shows tolerance and greatness of spirit in allowing the healing stranger to act in his name. He promises reward to those who show kindness towards his followers and challenges his disciples to a greater understanding of their ministry by avoiding whatever keeps others from entering into life in God’s kingdom. In viewing the disciples’ misunderstanding, we are able to see more clearly what it means to be a disciple and who Christ truly is.
For, as Christians who follow Jesus Christ, we do not have to worry about tests of membership. “Whoever is not against us is for us.” An act done in service to one of God’s creatures, rebounds to the glory of God and makes the kingdom of God more visible to all—“Oh that what it’s like!” It is a good discipline for us to practice. God is everywhere, and God is always working.
This I believe is one of the reasons that the Pope’s words and actions create such joy in my heart. Pope Francis is giving us all a chance to see what it might be like to follow Jesus. As the Pope readily admits, he is not Jesus. He is a sinner who has been called by God for this purpose at this time. And he regularly invites all to pray for him—or if you do not pray to send good wishes his way.
But he is embodying the values and priorities of Jesus. He shows us what it means to try to follow Jesus. And through his actions we catch a glimpse of what it might have been like to watch Jesus as he embraced a leper, to watch him defend a woman accused of adultery against the mob wishing to stone her, to watch Jesus call the religious establishment of his day to account by challenging the priorities and values of those in power. Pope Francis has been remarkable to watch.
Jesus pronounces a blessing on all who give aid and comfort, as in giving a cup of water. The giving and receiving that are marks of following Jesus is not to be owned by a specific group. Rather this should be what we seek to share with all and indeed show through our actions and words that compassion and service to others is what it means to bear the name of Jesus Christ.
When we put our whole trust in God and what God has done in Jesus, our heart becomes “salty” since it has been transformed by God. And when we have salt in ourselves, others cannot help but notice. Instead of throwing up a stumbling block in someone’s path, our saltiness acts like an invitation. Our saltiness attracts others to the richness and depth of life that comes from trusting in Jesus and opening our hearts, our hands and feet and eyes in love and in service so that others also may turn toward the Lord of life.
From Denise Levertov’s poem “Beginners”
…we have only begun to imagine justice and mercy,
only begun to envision how it might be to live as siblings with beast and flower, not as oppressors.
…We have only begun to know the power that is in us if we would join our solitudes in the communion of struggle.
[1] Pope Francis’ message to Congress, Thursday, September 24, 2015.
[2] Bruce J. Malina and Richard J. Rohrbaugh. Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003, 373.