Proper 7 C + A nap and a snack + 6.19.22

 

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(1 Kings 19:1–4, (5–7), 8–15ª; Psalm 42 y 43; Galatians 3:23–29; St Luke 8:26–39)

 

A nap and a snack. And the sound of silence. A man of power, and I am not just talking about Jesus.

I have loved the song “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel since high school, when I thought it was so deep, which in many ways, it is. Its last lyrics go thus:

“And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence"

Here in the reading from 1 Kings today we have the original instance of this “sound of silence.” And it happens when Elijah, fired up after besting Baal and Baal’s prophets, receives a death threat from Jezebel. Now this queen is very scary, but I wonder if this threat to his life isn’t all that is bothering Elijah. He has just killed a whole bunch of holy people. People who are not of his faith, but still, that’s got to sit wrong, even if showing that Yahweh is sovereign was the right move. And he is exhausted. He just wants to give in and die. I love that before the moment of experiencing God, he rests, and then an angel of God feeds him. As I have heard others say, the spiritual value of a nap and a snack cannot be overstated!

Because it is in this space that Elijah is able to hear between all the noise, and truly hear God. I like to imagine this was a humbling moment. A moment when he realizes that to be a person of faith one must first self-empty and relinquish violence and personal gain in order to move forward.

I remember one time I heard the “Sound of Silence.” I was standing almost alone in the subway station in Santiago, Chile. One single Andean flutist worked out the famous notes unironically – this is truly one of the most famous songs played in the modern Andes, as I understand it. And I was standing there, feeling welcome and alone. I was a young adult, on the cusp of much in my life, but feeling so unsure of everything and everyone. An important relationship in my life was ending. I was rediscovering myself in a new country and learning a new language. But I felt so unprepared for it all, a bit overwhelmed. At the same time, those familiar sounds brought me home, and reminded me that God was present in that moment, as God is present in every moment. I walked forward with my life feeling more united with all of humanity.

Jesus encounters a man who has gone through hell in this passage from Luke. Even though Jesus is in Gentile territory that plays by different rules, everything in this passage speaks of the demoniac’s exclusion and suffering. He has been literally left for dead, living in the tombs, and he is naked, a mark of grave humiliation in the ancient world. He has been stripped of his home and identity.
The spirit that possesses this man is so strong as to name Jesus right away. He is not messing around. He knows Jesus has the power to subdue him. And this man, the demoniac, is strong. He has been able to survive having a legion of demons inside of him. Demons that, when cast into the pigs, will send them scattering to their death.

Now comes the silence. A man at the feet of Jesus, in his right mind, clothed again. Restored. And Jesus speaks to him in this quiet, just as God spoke to Elijah in the still, small voice.

And yet, just as Elijah must continue his journey, this brand-new disciple must not stay with Jesus. He must go back and tell the good news. Why can’t he just follow Jesus? His people need his witness!
Now, they do not know what to make of this. In a way, you can’t blame them. By the visit of this stranger, all their world has changed. A major source of food and income for this gentile settlement has been destroyed. Their once not-so-friendly madman is now healed and telling them the good news. On top of it, they have seen the destruction of nearby Sepphoris by a Roman Legion. We know what that fear is like. We have seen more violence this week. They can’t quite accept Jesus yet. But Jesus knows. In time, they will see.

We will see too. This week, in response to the shooting at Vestavia Hills, AL during a church potluck, our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry prayed on Tiktok for those who died and for the survivors. He also prayed that we would become instruments of God’s peace. This hit me. It hit me because I think we must find ways to use our bodies and minds and souls to combat violence. We must be instruments. Not just passive observers. We may feel scared or overwhelmed, but we are strong.

We are strong because of what we have gone through. And when we face those decisive moments, the cave-dark moments filled with questions, let us rest and nourish ourselves and then listen hard. Listen for God’s guidance. It will come. I believe it. You believe it, too.