Easter 3 B + Jump for joy! + 4.14.24

 

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(Acts 3:12-19; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36b-48)

Peter addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?”

Today we have a profession of faith by Peter, but we must remember the context in order to understand what seems to be a blame game. Here, a man who was lame and by some interpretations was unable to enter the temple due to his ailments, asks Peter for alms and instead Peter heals him in Jesus’ name.

Back when I was serving in Riverside, we had a Vacation Bible School program one year where my job was to portray the man healed at the temple gates by Peter. It was great fun, pretending to be bound and then leaping for joy at receiving healing in Jesus’ name! I had shackles and cast them off, kicking my limbs about. I probably looked ridiculous but the kids seemed to enjoy it.

Imagine how it must have been for him. He is asking for alms and instead is healed. His response is joy, unfettered joy, but it could as easily have been consternation, confusion or any number of other feelings.
Last week I had two very different interactions with folks asking for assistance. I was in Ventura getting supplies for the love bags and a man held a sign that said “Starving!” I fished out an energy bar from my bag and handed it to him, sheepishly, as I was aware it was just a small thing, but he received it with such joy, saying, “you have helped me feel so much more hopeful than I was a moment ago!” A couple of days later, I was trying to fill up my car at a gas station when a lady approached me and asked for money for food for her granddaughter. Since this gas station had a food mart, I offered to buy her something there but refused to hand over cash. However she walked away, clearly wanting cash.

These examples are not directly about healing but rather material needs, which are related, and they bring out something important. We can all access healing or whatever we seek in Jesus’ name but we have to be open to it. We have to be open to receiving the blessing. And also, I like to trust that Peter received divine guidance that this man wanted to be healed. It is very ableist for us to assume that everyone who appears to be disabled needs to be returned to some kind of normal status. Healing can take place in the mind, body or spirit and is not limited to our human constructs.

Dr. Sandra Aldana’s talk at Cal Lutheran last month highlighted amongst other things the desire of the special needs community to be seen as full and equal members of society with all the same complexities and rights to exist and thrive as so called normally functioning folks. And I think we do have to be careful not to jump to our concept of what another person’s healing looks like, but only be aware of where we as individuals must be open to Christ’s healing in our lives- be it in our body, mind or spirit.

The TV Series “The Chosen” has a fascinating scene regarding this, because Jesus is shown as healing so many people, but when Little James, portrayed here as lame and played by an actor with a physical disability, approaches him and asks for healing, Jesus says that he will minister even better not in spite of, but because of his apparent infirmity.

Here is a transcription thanks to Taryn De Long:

Jesus asks James, “Do you want to be healed?”

“Yes, of course,” James says, echoing us all, “if that’s possible.”

He’s been with Jesus long enough to know that it is possible, and Jesus tells him so.

“Why haven’t you?” he asks Jesus—again, a question so many of us pray, over and over again.

“Because I trust you,” Jesus says. “Little James. Precious Little James. I need you to listen to me very carefully, because what I am going to say defines your whole life to this point and will define the rest of your life. Do you understand?”

Jesus tells James that he has healed and will heal many, many people, and they will have a good story to tell. But, he tells him, think of your story, if I don’t heal you.

“To know how to proclaim that you still praise God in spite of this—to know how to focus on all that matters, so much more than the body—to show people that you can be patient with your suffering here on Earth, because you know you’ll spend eternity with no suffering—not everyone can understand that. How many people do you think the Father and I trust this with? Not many.”[1]

This is a powerful scene because part of you wants to see Little James restored fully and out of pain, able to keep up with the others. But Jesus’ words in the series state that his witness through a body that seems limited in the eyes of the world is powerful. Of course, it is also problematic in that the positive lens is about being patient with suffering rather than celebrating the disabled body as it is – but I think it is a theological work in progress.

Another part of this passage in Acts that makes me cringe a bit is the blame aspect- Peter says “you killed Jesus, so repent.” I like to think this is rhetorical. Peter realizes he has got everyone’s attention due to this amazing healing, and he is trying to leverage the power of the moment to bring folks to belief in Christ. By amazing them and then convicting their hearts to repent of any way in which they, folks who so recently may have been a part of the crowd yelling “Crucify him!” participated in his death, I believe Peter is trying to encourage all of them to come to faith. The problem here is that we know from Brené Brown’s work that shame can momentarily convince us, but will also stifle us emotionally. We know that repentance and really doing self-work is important, and also what really brings us to Jesus is love.

And that is where the 1st John 3 passage comes in – it reminds us that we are children of God. This doesn’t mean any of us, abled or dis-abled, or of any other stripe, is perfect. We will all sin and fall short of God’s glory. But God loves us anyway. But we must cling to that fact. That we are children of God, loved and treasured. No matter what we have done in the past, we are not held captive by it. New rules apply.

All of which brings me to the gospel. Jesus shows he is not a ghost but truly his risen self by eating in front of the disciples. It is quirky, it is different. The risen Lord, eating, consuming food- it all feels almost performative- but it is good news! Because it shows us the word is true, he is truly risen, and we are truly set free from the power of death in our lives. And also, food is still important even if we are risen- I like to think some things remain important even when we are all in our eternal bodies.

That is good news for all of us, whether we are able bodied or experience some physical limitations. In Jesus’ returning to life, death’s power is vanquished, and therefore all the suffering of this world is passing. We minister to each other by showing that there is healing for this moment at all times, even if the form of the healing is different based on what God knows of our needs. What is the healing you seek today? If it is relief of a physical burden or pain, I pray that Jesus lifts that from you so that you kick your heels in joy! If it is the lifting of something from your heart and soul that has claimed you, I pray for that release too. Sometimes we have to wait for healing, but we know it will come. And of the kind of healing, only you and truly only the Spirit knows. But beloved children of God, do not be afraid to ask for the healing that is right for you! Then we will all say to God: “You have put gladness in my heart, more than when grain and wine and oil increase.”

Amen.

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[1] When God Doesn’t Heal You: A Lesson From “The Chosen” – Everyday Roses from Taryn DeLong “When God Doesn’t Heal You” Blog Post.