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Greetings, SBT Readers:
Last night I had every intention of working on SBT early and getting to bed "early-ish"; instead, I watched the Netflix documentary on the making of the pop sensation, We Are the World
(the link is to the 35th Anniversary). To see the talent, passion and camaraderie that went into the creation of this planetary hit was truly inspirational; the greatest American vocalists of the mid 80's left behind their agents and managers, forgot competitiveness and came together to raise funds for famine relief in Africa-- more than $60 million ($130 million+ in today's currency). "More than ever we need to come together as one," said Lionel Richie on the 35th anniversary of the Grammy-Award winning recording. As I listened to the lyrics and felt the energy of the music itself, I remember how moving it was to listen to the song that first time and to see the impact it had on people everywhere. It truly united countries across the globe, releasing love, generosity, and a sense of connectedness.
Today, we are facing greater divisions globally than perhaps the world has ever experienced. The rise of dictatorships, wars, terrorism, hate crimes, and the twisting of Truth have spread a pall over all the world's peoples, pitting one nation against another, escalating the arms race and generating terror. Yes, "More than ever we need to come together as one." We need to listen to We Are the World and let it release the best and most noble sentiments in us;
we need to let this work of Love humanize us and awaken us from our stupor and indifference to the world's agony. Now, more than ever, we need to sing our world into healing...
Many Blessings!
Elizabeth
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SUNDAY REFLECTION
Link to Readings
A leper approached Jesus and kneeling down begged him, saying,
“If you wish, you can make me clean.”
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
The leprosy left the man immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, with a stern warning, Jesus sent him on his way.
He said, “See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priests and make an offering for your cleansing as Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places,
yet people kept coming to him from everywhere.
Mk 1:40-45
It is fascinating how our response to illness has shifted over the millennia -- or even in the last hundred years! Spells, potions, bloodletting, boil-lancing and the use of leeches do not typically feature in contemporary western medical protocols; instead, modern medicine relies on preventative care, tele-health, vaccinations, X-rays, robotic surgery, super drugs and more. At the same time, there have been shifts in our understanding of illness. Whereas in earlier times, any form of sickness or disability was viewed as punishment for sin, nowadays, the focus is more on lifestyle; patient screening includes questions about diet, sleep patterns, exercise, addictions, stress, and social isolation-- with stress and social isolation being blamed for anything from cardiovascular disease to the onset of dementia.
There has also been a shift in how we talk about illness. Instead of equating someone with their illness or chronic condition -- for example, "Juan is a diabetic"-- we tend to say, "Juan has diabetes." Rather than define a human being by a set of symptoms or a diagnosis, this distinction between "being" and "having" reminds us that we are speaking about a whole person with a life beyond health limitations. When naming someone as a "paraplegic," for example, we are defining that person by his or her lack of mobility, ignoring other dimensions of life -- dreams, loves, and aspirations, as well as the important ways in which he or she contributes to society.
In today's Gospel, Jesus encounters a man with leprosy. Mark, of course, being a product of his time, refers to him as a "leper," but Jesus responds to the man as a whole person. The NAB translation tells us that Jesus is "moved with pity" but more accurate wording would suggest that he is filled with "compassion." "Pity" is a feeling; "compassion" leads to action. We can feel pity from a distance for those who are suffering in any way, but when we are filled with compassion, then we have a gut reaction to their situation -- and want to do something about it! It is this "gut" reaction that causes Jesus to reach out to touch the man's reality -- not only to touch him physically despite his contagious condition, but also to touch and heal his social isolation, to touch the fact that he has been ostracized from his community, cast out from his home, and left to wander in remote places as one considered "unclean." What Jesus wills is for the man to be restored to fullness of life. It is not enough for him to be asymptomatic; rather, the man can now return to the various social circles from which he is presently excluded-- circles of family, friends, religion, community, work... Little wonder that the man broadcasts his healing to everyone he sees; having been socially isolated for so long, he is ready to proclaim what has happened to the whole world, despite Jesus' instructions to the contrary. So amazing is his experience that he cannot keep silent.
As Lent approaches, we might consider categories of people that we consider to be "lepers" and how we might shift our language and attitudes towards them. What characteristics make us shun those we consider to be different from ourselves? Are we afraid of what others would think were we to associate with these "untouchables," or do we feel threatened by them in some way? Is there something we despise about them, or do they mirror back to us some of our own qualities that we wish to hide? What would it take for us to overcome our negative judgements or to move from pity to compassion? Do these "lepers" inhabit any of our various social circles or are they complete outsiders? How would Jesus respond to them?
At the same time, we might also examine the ways in which we feel like "lepers" and consider how we might shift our language and attitudes about ourselves. How might this Lent be a time of integration or re-integration? How might we pray for our own healing?
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