THE HEALING CHRIST

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON FEBRUARY 11, 2007

Luke 6:19 "All the crowd sought to touch Him, for power came forth from Him and healed them all."

On Thursday I read a very interesting article about China. The government of the Peoples Republic of China had announced that the numbers of people practicing religion had increased from 100 million to 300 million. This refers, of course, to the government authorized religions, and does not account for those who belong to other sorts of illegal churches and groups.

300 million would be an underestimation, given the Chinese government's fear of any religion. Still, 300 million is significant - it is the whole of the population of the United States. Even more interesting in the article was the acknowledgement that Christians in China had increased in number from 10 million to 40 million, which is a 4-fold increase. This number only includes the state recognized churches, and therefore excludes the Roman Catholics who are loyal to the Pope, and the many underground house churches. So we may safely say that there could be 100 million Christians in China. This is an extraordinary admission by their government. How is this happening?

It is certainly not happening as St. Luke describes the mission of Jesus in today’s gospel. Jesus is not walking around publicly teaching, demonstrating his power, and healing, surrounded by large crowds! It is not happening in China as it happened in St. Luke's gospel. No, Christianity is growing because of the lively, faithful, quiet witness of Christians to their neighbor's and friends - sharing their faith and the bible. And it is a wonderful thing to know.

By co-incidence, earlier in the week I read a report about the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury to China last October. It was a state sanctioned visit. Archbishop Rowan Williams was invited to dinners and gave talks and answered questions, sometimes engaging with ministers of the government. And the group with him was amazed at what they saw. Firstly the formally closed Anglican seminary at Nanking has been re-established with a large number men studying to be clergy. Secondly, they met a venerable old bishop who had suffered much in the Cultural Revolution and was now a bishop in the state recognized church. All this seems amazing.

In their talking with Chinese people with whom they worshiped on the Sundays and weekdays, they found that a common story of conversion to Christianity is one of healing. Here a woman who had been forced to have an abortion because of the state law of one child per family had found healing in the context of a congregation. There another woman recovering from divorce had found acceptance and fellowship amongst Christians. Here a young man had come to find life with meaning and purpose where previously his life was empty. The healing touch of Jesus through people who are Christians.

It doesn't only happen in China - it happens in San Diego, and anywhere in the world. Wherever there are Christians people come in contact with the healing of Jesus. It is true here at All Saints’. There are a number of people who come to our congregation strangers and are welcomed. Some who have come with emotional, and perhaps mental, needs who have found peace. And some people have found healing. And certainly the freedom and peace that only comes from our freedom in Christ.

The healing touch of Jesus through his people. Of course the healing touch of Jesus is not necessarily physical healing - it can be mental or emotional healing, or the filling up of emptiness inside one. Or it can mean the giving of a richer meaning to life, and one's purpose in life.

Physical healing was not the major point of Jesus' ministry. All his healings - even those in today's gospel - point to a deeper healing:

+ To make men and woman whole and at peace.

+ To reconcile the human race to a loving God.

Ultimately this healing of the world could only be achieved by his suffering and death. So there is some irony in Jesus doing all that healing and freeing people from their suffering, when his ultimate fate was to suffer himself.

St. Luke writes a lot about Jesus' healing ministry. St. Luke was, after all, a physician, and was delighted at seeing Jesus heal people. Today in chapter 6 we hear a number of healings. Earlier, at the end of chapter 4, we find Jesus having a very busy day healing. He begins in Capernaum with his ministry to preach the gospel. St. Luke describes how he began teaching in the synagogue and then healed a man possessed, then went to St. Peter's home and healed St. Peter's mother in law. St. Luke then says this: "At sunset all who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid his hands on every one of them and healed them." Jesus wouldn't even rest if there were any in need of his healing touch!

In chapter 6 Jesus heals again, and this time his healings are followed by his wonderful teaching we call The Beatitudes. When you consider the Beatitudes, it is actually an outline of what Jesus himself was to endure. He would know grief, he would know suffering, he would know what it is like to be reviled and rejected. And he says when it happens to us we are blessed. The gospels follow a trail of discarded bandages, crutches and stretchers. But the trail this healing leads to is the suffering Christ.

As last week's gospel reminded us, it is our faith that saves us. The healings of Jesus always lead to faith and reconciliation. Their purpose was to bring people back to God. Even if healing doesn't happen, we know that an encounter with Jesus does bring people face to face with God. That is what is happening in China. And what is happening even here in San Diego.

The healing Jesus challenges us to proclaim Him as the one who reconciles, makes whole and removes the forces of evil. The one who is love. The real sickness of our day which does need healing, the curse of this age, is de-personalization. The emphasis on things, products, goods, schemes - all these things are offered to us and ultimately they make us become things. You and I are part of a computerized and fragmented society. When you hear a message that says "your call is important to us", you know that you aren't important!

What is missing from this world is a heart of love. The philosopher, Jean Paul Sartre, once said: “Hell does not consist in torture; Hell consists in an empty heart." That is the way of life today - so many people with an empty heart and a society that is heartless.

One of the joys of our parish here is the smiling babies and little children. This is reflected in the smiling faces of the parents - and the Rector and the parishioners! This is how it is with God. Like smiling parents of a baby, God the Father looks with love on all that he has made - on you and I. And he loves us and delights in us. So when we say: "I believe in God, the Father Almighty" we are believing that the world, in all its sorrow, divisions and fragility, has a heart. The loving heart of God. And the sufferings of Christ's sacred heart, not only turns his ministry of healing into more than healing, but redemption - it also demonstrates that the Father has a heart so big that nothing is held back by him.

When Jesus said: "Blessed are the poor, blessed are you that weep, blessed are you when men hate you and revile you" it wasn't just comfortable words to make us feel good on a bad day. He was telling us he loves us so much, he has endured those things and more:

So that we may really be made whole.

So that we may live in love and peace.

So that we may have true faith.

So that we may belong to him.