Forces that Would Bring Death and Disease

 

Each week Augsburg Fortress’ resource Sunday’s and Seasons provides an introductory blip for each reading. This week’s introduction for the Mark reading says:

Forces that would bring death and disease have taken hold of a man, yet they recognize Jesus and know what his power means for them. Jesus commands these forces to leave and people are amazed at his authority.

 

I was intrigued by the words, forces that would bring death and disease have taken hold, hearing the words as a definition for ‘unclean spirits.’ I have been part of many conversations and debates about these ‘exorcism’ healing stories at Jesus’ hand. ‘Unclean spirits’ are interpreted as many things: demon possession, evil, medical seizures or a condition falling into a mental health category. This morning, let us consider the definition of ‘unclean spirits’ as forces that would bring death and disease.

 

We certainly do not have to look very far to find forces that bring death and disease. If anything pandemic has highlighted such forces, societal forces, that unjustly and inequitably have greater affect on the poor and marginalized.  In 2004 the American magazine, Foreign Policy, had an article where eight notable intellectuals created a list of the ‘world’s most dangerous ideologies.’ – an ideology being a force that can bring death and disease. The list was this: transhumanism, the War on Terror, Free money, spreading democracy, religious intolerance, climate change, and hating America. All of these have complicated arguments that go along with them, and we may choose to agree or not. The list, regardless of what we think or feel about it, each item on it does cause dis-ease, contentious debate, and calculated actions.

In recent months we have been witness to such forces that can bring death and disease.  We have been witness to explosive racism, to the minimizing of peoples’ liberties, arguments over the principles of rights and freedoms, the maximizing of state control, radicalization, the rise of violent ideologies and conspiracy theories.  There are unclean spirits alive and well in the world;  forces that attach themselves to hearts and minds of people the world over. We are not immune. We are affected by them, made unclean by them, and directed by them.  

Like the billows of dirt that form clouds around the character of Pigpen in the Peanuts cartoon, uncleanliness breeds more uncleanliness and an uncleanliness that attempts to suffocate or sully any areas that are shiny. Society’s unclean spirits get applied and translated through our living – word and deeds. I confess this morning that my reactions to the forces that be, bring death and disease.  I get plastered in mud, whether in the form of fear, anxiety, or worry. I have dust that settles as bitterness, unforgiveness, grudges, callousness, judgements.  Dust devils whirl in anger, resentment, thoughts of revenge, guilt, shame. I experience caked on dirt in moments of greed, gluttony, malice, unkindness, unhealthy self-care. All of these could be labelled unclean spirits, forces that bring death and disease.

 

Blogger Elizabeth Selin shares with her readers this parable:

An onion, a macchiato (that is a fancy coffee), and a snakebite walk into a bar.  The bar is not air conditioned.  The onion gets warm and starts shedding layers.  The overpowering scent of raw onions permeates the air, and many of the customers start to weep.  “We come to savour the pleasure of good company and drinks, and now the whole place reeks of onions. Why have you been so insensitive?” the customers exclaim.  The barista, afraid of losing tips, asks the onion to leave.  “I’m not the only one with layers,: the onion says with a pointed glance at the macchiato and the snakebite. “Why can’t you accept me the way I am?” No one speaks.  The onion leaves the bar, but the burning scent lingers.

-“The Parable of the Onion at a Bar,”-- Late Night Ramblings and Other Points of Relative Interest, on Blogger, by Elizabeth Selin.

 

We are all layered, encased in various skins of dirt – uncleanliness- all of us -onion, macchiato, and snakebite.

Since this is the case, is it not a gift that the first act of Jesus’ public ministry according to the Gospel of Mark includes addressing ‘unclean spirits?’ Everyone that Jesus meets will fall into the category of unclean: whether it is the disciples not understanding, doubting, denying; or religious leaders, scribes, and Pharisees trying to trick Jesus into blasphemy or sedition, being jealous over the authority Jesus demonstrates; or unnamed unclean spirits of those who come for healing...

Everyone is unclean and thus, hindered in the ability to act on Jesus’ words, to focus on commonwealth, gratitude, love of God and neighbour; inhibited in building trusting relationships and community, and paralyzed in making desires for peace a reality.

 

The Gospel writer tells us that we are onions.

And this is good. ...  in the sense that we don’t have to pretend to be anything else but unclean ...

Jesus already knows.  The people around us already know. And we know ourselves.

Being honest -coming clean about it-  allows us to come to Jesus, peeling off our layers- and ask for healing. Immediately!

Without putting on airs – standing in a place of worship, hearing the Word of God read-

Jesus comes to the synagogue and teaches and our hearts feel it, accept it, burn with in us.

When not wasting energy hiding our foibles – letting the unclean out - Jesus won’t turn away from the unclean taunts hurled his way, rather Jesus will silence the unclean spirit and separate the spirit from the human. That is the story we hear in the Gospel of Mark.  Jesus teaches with authority and casts out unclean spirits. Jesus has spoken to everyone, offering sacrament of word and healing to all– that includes the ones’ we read about in future stories who hide their uncleanliness and those who come open and asking for healing. Jesus is present -entering people’s lives - and being in relationship, regardless of whether a person acts like a warm onion or macchiato.

Last week Jesus called the unclean disciples...  Jesus calls me. Jesus calls you. Jesus calls the community despite our uncleanliness because Jesus’ authority is the power that washes wounds, cleanses hearts, clears minds, restores balance, purifies actions, and purges forces that cause death and disease.

Jesus looks past the dirt and tarnish to the beloved creations we are. Jesus dreams of the countless possibilities that are within each of us, within this community.  Jesus continually calls out the unclean spirits so that in freedom  we take on -with Jesus authority working through us- the task of dispelling forces that bring death and disease.

 

My hands are anything but unclean; well so I think.  We have spent a lot of time being aware of not unnecessarily touching things in public, using hand sanitizer, and frequently washing our hands. We have washed away layers and layers of dirt and unseen germs, forces that bring death and disease.  And when clean, I don’t know about you, but I have noticed a need to replenish skin that is dry, tired, and perhaps even raw. The ritual of handwashing, for me, is now complete with an anointing of sorts – the use of hand cream.

When I consider unclean spirits that attach to me – when I am washed- the hand cream, the anointing, that completes the ritual are the words of hope I hear in scripture, the humming of hymns and spiritual songs, the grace of God shared in community, sharing Christ’s body in communion, the forgiveness received, and the sense of belonging. And as always the hope, faith, love, grace experienced here – compels and calls me to go into the world to wash away forces that bring death and disease and to apply healing ointment.

 

Psychologist Sherrie Campbell wrote an article for the online magazine, Entrepeneur, with the title: “The 10 Qualities of Exceptional People.” Her list included: grace, kindness, composure (described in terms of self-control), fear-less, poised (meaning self-loving), deliberate, intelligent, unassuming, truthful, and loving.     

This list of qualities sounds like healing ointment -words to be turned into words and actions – to soften hardened hearts, mend cracked ideologies, repair damaged relationships, soothe troubled spirits, relieve desperate souls.

 

Admitting and wrestling with being unclean, hear Jesus words casting out the unclean spirits that have attached themselves to you and this community; they are silenced and gone. Jesus calls you and sends you out to dispel the forces that bring death and disease. So Go, anoint a hurting world, with grace, kindness, composure; with fearlessness, poise; be deliberate, intelligent, unassuming, and truthful.  And in all things be loving. In the name of Jesus.  Amen.