The Risky Way of Faith
Reflections on 10.46-52
RCL Proper 30B
28 October 2018
Holy Trinity Cathedral
New Westminster BC
Mark 10.46-52
10.46[Jesus and his disciples] came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” 50So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” 52Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Risking everything on one throw of the dice
One of the popular ways of engaging the Bible is what is sometimes called ‘the African Bible study method’. A particular text of the Bible is read three times. After the first time, the listeners are asked, ‘What one word caught your attention?’ After the second time, the question is ‘What phrase caught your attention?’ And, after the final time, the listeners are asked, ‘What is this text asking you to do as a disciple of Jesus?’
When I begin my preparation for a sermon, I read all the lectionary texts appointed for the day. As I keep this congregation and the events of the world in my mind, one of the texts will often catch my attention. Sometimes I will apply the ‘African’ method and read the text three times. This Sunday is just such an occasion.
The word that captured my attention was ‘immediately’. In the New Testament Gospels the word ‘immediately’ is used fifty-four times. Half of those occasions are found in the Gospel according to Mark. His is the gospel of ‘immediately’. It is a gospel that calls upon its audience to be prepared to jump up from their seats or their workplaces or their homes and set out on the ‘way’, the road of Christian discipleship. ‘Trust your emotions and intuition,’ Mark seems to be saying, ‘Don’t overthink things.’
The phrase that caught my attention was ‘ . . . throwing off his cloak . . .’ Ponder this for a moment. Bartimaeus is a blind beggar in a world with no social safety nets. He’s probably homeless or, at best, spends the best of the day seeking shelter for the night. Whether it’s ragged or in relatively good shape, his cloak is probably his best protection against the cold of the night and the assaults of the weather. I imagine he holds it very close to his heart. And yet, at the call of Jesus, Bartimaeus risks everything on the chance that this rabbi from Nazareth will restore his sight. So, in the midst of a crowd, some of whom are probably more than willing to take advantage of a free cloak lying on the ground, Bartimaeus throws off something that is hindering his approach to Jesus.
What I find this passage from the Gospel according to Mark is asking me to do as a disciple of Jesus is to understand that faith is a risky enterprise. Sometimes it means trusting my emotions and intuition more than my measured intellectual assessment of a given situation. Sometimes it means seizing a moment rather than holding back and waiting for ‘the right time’.
Life is about managing risks not avoiding them.
When you think about it, almost everything about life is about the management rather than the avoidance of risk. For example, every time I get into my car to drive to an errand or to work, I manage my risks. I make sure that my car is in good running order. I put on my seatbelt and check my mirrors. I use my signals and try to maintain a safe distance between the car in front of me. I do my best to stay within the speed limit.
But there is nothing I can do to control the behaviour of other drivers. There is nothing I can do to control some unexpected road condition or even some unexpected mechanical failure in my vehicle or someone else’s. Despite all these unknowns, I still start the engine and set out on my journey.
When we fall in love with another person and decide to make a life-time commitment, we take risk of our relationship not fulfilling its promise and hopes. When we make the decision to have children, to adopt children or to foster children, we take the risk of having our worlds turned upside down. We can manage the risks of relationships and the risks of parenting as best as we can, but we cannot avoid the risks. We make decisions on the spot and we trust our emotions and intuitions even as our intellects are flashing yellow lights. And, if the truth be told, at least nine times out of time, we would say that the risk was worth it.
Following the way of Jesus is a risky way of life.
When Paula was pregnant with our youngest child, she had a conversation with a wise woman, Marjorie Powells, who lived across the hall from us at Vancouver School of Theology. Marjorie and her husband, Cyril, had been missionaries of the Anglican Church of Canada in Japan. Paula and Marjorie struck up a friendship that changed our life.
One afternoon Marjorie asked Paula what she wanted to do with her life. ‘I want to become a priest,’ Paula said, ‘but I’m waiting for the right time.’ ‘There is no such thing as “the right time”,’ Marjorie said, ‘There’s only hearing God’s call, answering it and figuring things out as you go along.’ And so, within a year, Paula began her studies towards ordination and we managed the risks of a marriage, a career, three children under the age of five and all the other things that came along.
Now don’t get me wrong. I believe that thinking things through is an important part of being a disciple and living one’s life. We need to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength. Sometimes discipleship means trusting the heart more than the mind. Discipleship always means managing risk rather than avoiding it.
Another word for ‘managing risk’ is ‘stewardship’. Stewardship involves the faithful use of the time that God has given to us, the courageous use of the talents that God has given to us and the thoughtful use of the financial resources entrusted to us. Good stewardship is as much about throwing off our cloak and immediately following the call of Jesus as it is about careful consideration of the long-term management of our time, our talents and our treasure.
Hearing the Gospel again for the first time
Listen to today’s gospel one more time:
10.46[Jesus and his disciples] came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” 50So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” 52Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
What word catches your attention? What phrase stands out for you? What is this text asking you to do as a disciple of Jesus?
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