St. Paul’s Church in
Bergen, Jersey City NJ
October 25, 2015
Year B, Proper 25:
The Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Psalm 34:1-8, 19-22
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52
Taste and See: A Journey with Jesus
Today,
in a little while, during communion, we’re going to sing my favorite hymn,
“Taste and See.”
Not
coincidentally, the words of the hymn are based on today’s psalm, Psalm 34:
Taste
and see that the Lord is good; happy are they who trust in him.
Taste
and see that the Lord is good; happy are they who trust in him.
Amen.
We
are on a journey with Jesus.
For
the past few Sundays we’ve been making our way through the Gospel of Mark.
We’ve been hearing the story of Jesus and his disciples journeying from their
home in Galilee to the capital city of Jerusalem.
Along
the way, Jesus has been predicting what will happen to him in Jerusalem,
preparing his disciples, his friends, for his arrest, his death, and his rising
again on the third day.
For
the most part, the disciples are so self-absorbed, so wrapped up in their own
stuff that they don’t seem to get it – or don’t want to get it.
The
disciples are so self-absorbed, so wrapped up in their own stuff, that they try
to stand in Jesus’ way – try to tempt Jesus to abandon his mission, to avoid
his fate.
The
disciples are so self-absorbed, so wrapped up in their own stuff, that they prefer to argue about who among them is
the greatest and even, as we heard last week, who will get the best seats in
the next life.
And
now we’re approaching the end of the journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, we’re
approaching the end of the journey that began with Jesus restoring sight to a
blind man.
We’re
approaching the end of the journey and now once again Jesus encounters a blind
man.
Poor
Bartimaeus. A nobody.
He’s
so poor, so unimportant, he doesn’t even seem to have his own name. Bartimaeus
simply means “Son of Bartimaeus.”
Imagine
him there, poor blind Bartimaeus, day after day on the side of the road with
his hands outstretched, maybe holding a small bowl, hoping somebody, anybody,
will notice him and share a small coin with him.
But,
we don’t have to stretch our imagination too far, do we?
We
see people like that all the time, on Bergen Avenue, at Journal Square, huddled
in doorways or crouched on the steps.
Bartimaeus’
eyes don’t work but his ears do. And, actually, you know maybe this poor blind
man sees more than others with perfect sight.
He’s
heard of Jesus of Nazareth and his miraculous healings.
He
knows the Son of David is on his way to his capital city.
And
so when Jesus draws near he seizes the moment and shouts, “Jesus, Son of David,
have mercy on me!”
The
crowd tries to shut him up, but Bartimaeus cries out even louder, “Son of
David, have mercy on me!”
And,
when he gets his moment with Jesus he knows what he wants.
“My
teacher, let me see again.”
Once his sight is restored, Bartimaeus becomes
a disciple. He follows Jesus on the way, on the way to Jerusalem, on the way to
the cross and the empty tomb.
And,
I’m pretty sure that unlike the other disciples, Bartimaeus won’t be
self-absorbed, won’t be wrapped up in his own stuff. He has tasted and seen
that the Lord is good. Happy are they who trust in him.
For
the past month or so, I’ve definitely been more like the disciples,
self-absorbed and wrapped up in my own stuff, rather than Bartimaeus who is
able to taste and see that the Lord is good.
I
haven’t been jockeying for position like they were but I’ve been kind of in the
dumps since my ill-fated and brief return to classroom teaching.
I’m
comfortable that I made the right decision. It’s just that it’s been hard to
move forward because I keep running into people who don’t know, so they ask me
how the teaching is going, what’s it like to be back at Prep, …
Over
and over, I’ve had to re-tell the story, each time reopening the wound.
So,
as I thought about and prayed about today’s sermon, I thought, I’m on a journey
with Jesus - we’re on a journey with Jesus - and it’s time for me to get over
myself and to be less like the self-absorbed disciples, worried about how
things look and what people will think, and be more like Bartimaeus, who, even
in his blindness and poverty, is able to taste and see that the Lord is good.
Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
Last
Saturday, most of the vestry along with some members of the Finance Committee,
sacrificed most of their Saturday to have a little retreat out in Chatham where
we reflected on stewardship, focused on the many gifts that God has already
given us here at St. Paul’s and the gifts that are yet to be discovered.
Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
Last
Sunday, we had at least three parishioners taking on new ministries. Cirila did
a great job reading the lessons and leading the prayers. Koren offered a
beautiful solo for the offertory. And, Chanel bore the Blood of Christ with
great reverence and dignity. Plus, Chris, our new acolyte, was put to work for
the fourth or fifth Sunday in a row.
Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
Last
weekend, Trish directed Nica, Dennis, Gail, and others in a performance of “The
Devil and Tom Walker” and other works right here in Carr Hall. It was moving to
see people work so hard, to be so committed to their craft, and to offer so
much pleasure and enrichment to others.
Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
Last
Sunday, Susan Den Herder stood up at the 10:00 service and spoke bravely and
openly about her own financial challenges but also her firm commitment to
support the ministry of the church - our church - that she loves so much. And,
pledge cards poured in – new parishioners pledging for the first time – many
people sacrificing to increase their pledge – and not a single reduction.
Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
Last
Tuesday evening, I was standing outside when three twenty-somethings came along
and asked me if I “manage” this church. Well, …
It
turns out that they are NYU film students and they want to shoot their movie
right here in our driveway and on the grounds. They were dazzled by the
historic beauty of this place – a beauty that I know but often take for granted
or even forget when I get wrapped up in my own stuff.
That
same night I met with a community activist who wants to you use our space to
offer a meal to homeless people on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. We had
never met in person (she reached out through Facebook, of course) so I was a
little startled – and really happy - when she said that we were her first
choice because, and I quote, “this is a real community church. Everybody in the
neighborhood knows it.”
Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
That
was all in one week. And, there’s more I could tell you. The crying woman I met
outside a couple of weeks ago who returned to talk about family problems.
Taste
and see.
The
neighborhood people who one after the other are volunteering to be our chef at
Stone Soup.
Taste
and see.
The
fact that last week, thanks to our faithful band of worship leaders, we had
five weekday services, one a day, Monday through Friday.
Taste
and see.
The
man who rang the rectory doorbell yesterday and told me that 40 years ago he
stole from our poor box and he’s carried that guilt all these years and now he
wanted to make amends so he handed me a $50 bill for the church.
Taste
and see. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
And,
now here we are.
We
are on a journey with Jesus.
And
we have a choice to make.
Are
we like the disciples, so self-absorbed and wrapped up in our own stuff, that
we can’t taste and see that Jesus is right here?
Or,
are we like blind Bartimaeus, who hears Jesus, who, despite his troubles,
somehow sees Jesus, cries out to him to be healed, and follows him on the way?
Taste
and see that the Lord is good.
Happy
are they who trust in him.
Amen.
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