The Third Monday After Pentecost: Blind?

The Third Monday After Pentecost
Lessons: Psalm 56, 57; Deuteronomy 30:1-10; 2 Corinthians 10:1-18; Luke 18:31-43

I must admit there are times I am puzzled by the choices we make, that the world about me makes.  I do understand the work of faith is to make the best sense we can of where we live and are planted and to seek a Godly vision in our everyday lives. 

Yesterday I was driving through a rural part of the North Carolina to do services in a small town I once knew to seem prosperous.  Now it is painted with a largely empty downtown which is not unusual.  Some of the once prosperous neighborhoods have the patina of lost wealth, the respectable middle neighborhoods have a similar fade going on.  This of course is not true of every property yet it is noticeable.

At dinner with some of my mother's friends who know the area I mused at the effect of moving the textile industries of this state to the two thirds world.  I wondered that no one had calculated what these decisions would do to the fabric of communities.  How sad it was.

I was asked if I understood that town.  I admitted I did not.  It was explained to me that it was a town that historically was owned by one extended family.  They owned the bank, most of the retail spaces if not the merchandise as well. They sold the neighborhoods. They were not merely rich but extremely wealthy. 

To grow up in the South in the 1950's and 60's was to understand this as a social norm in many places.  These towns were often known as Mill Towns.  Often there was with it a responsibility that went beyond wealth gathering.  It included in the exchange for poor wages, providing other necessities and some care about debt.

That responsibility was not part of this story.  When a business failed, they held the mortgage and repossessed it.  If a loan was over due, the business or land was repossessed as well.  If a farmer had a bad year and could not pay, repossessed. The Great Depression had worked out alright for this family.  The gentleman at dinner said several times, "I am not saying these were bad people.  But they were business people with not much noticeable charity even to those in their family."  Other stories were then told that made this point.  The motive here was to be wealthy, amass as much as possible, pass on the legacy within the family much extended.  There was, at least in this story, not much space for those who could not keep pace.

It all feels very connected to me with how this state is following the current national trend to pull apart the social safety nets of the past.  I cannot say these are bad people.  Many would claim the marks of Christianity.  And yet I wonder too often, have we lost some core care for those who cannot keep pace with wealth gathering. There are good people who desire to labor and carry their life's weight, who are better at labor or using their talents and gifts but not so oriented to wealth gathering.  There always have been. Beyond wealth gathering has long been a sense that basic things are in our corporate care, education, care for the ill or dying, basic survival for any who can and will labor and those no longer able to labor.  Some of this belongs in the family, some in the larger corporate society.

This brings me to the gospel today.  Jesus has mentioned that he is on the way to Jerusalem where he will suffer what is to happen to the Son of Man. He speaks of all the prophets have foretold.  He adds to the image of suffering and death, and resurrection.  It falls on ears not able to understand its impact, this suffering and rising.

As they then approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  Here is a man not able to work in shops or fields.  The noise of the crowd is not the usual flow of life there so he inquires what is going on.
 

"They told him, 'Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.'   Then he shouted, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'    Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" (Luke 18:37-39)

What interests me here is the crowd.  They are so accustomed to the blind begging and taking what comes to them as it might that they discount the idea he might have a more profound desire. I wonder if they were thinking something like, "Jesus is busy with us and on his way.  Don't bother him with the desire for a hand out."

Yet the blind man shows his knowledge of tradition and his hope when he uses the title Son of David.   Jesus stops, asked that the man to be brought through the crowd to him and asks what exactly the man desires.  His reply is clear.

 

He said, 'Lord, let me see again.'    Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.'   Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.  (Luke 18:41-43)

It is notable here that the man follows Jesus.  It is notable that the potential for healing is not in the world view of the crowd until Jesus acts.  It is notable that the restoration of this one man to a place in society where he might become more productive effects the wonder and faith of others in the community.  It is not only that he will no longer bother them with begging.  It is not principally that he can rise from severe poverty to the dignity of daily labor however humble, for he is destitute most likely.  Jesus in healing the man and attributing it to the man's hope and faith, restores the community to live by hope and faith.  Can they ever pass by a blind beggar and not remember this moment if they are of faith? 

 

Perhaps they cannot heal as Jesus has done, but they can remember that hope lives even here. Might they not remember to treat him from this place of dignity as Jesus has done.  Where they cannot heal the body, might they not heal the spirit, take note of the inner person.

It is so easy, so very normal to pass by those who are less fortunate, who do not see life as we do.  It is normal as we each go about our wealth gathering however humble or elevated, not to notice that some cannot by influence of their abilities or opportunities. 

 

How do we respond to Jesus who stands still and tells us to bring them to me for a question of what they most deeply want.  So often I suspect their desire is a way to rejoin society, to see how it all works best, to be made more whole.  Often it involves some deliberate stop on the road to gathering wealth to offer the hand that will pick them up.  Sometimes we can do this individually.  Sometimes we must do it as a community effort.

I guess I must wonder, "What would Jesus do and what does he ask of me in the way of help?"

 

Further I wonder, if we like the idea that we are a Christian nation or just an ethical nation, "What would Jesus do and what does he ask of me in the way of help?"