St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Owings Mills MD
August 21, 2022
Year C, Proper 16: The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-6
Hebrews 12:18-29
Luke 13:10-17
“The Time is Always Right to Do the Right Thing”
Today’s gospel lesson includes lots of elements that we find elsewhere in the story of Jesus.
Jesus is in a synagogue.
Jesus has a conflict with the religious establishment, in this case the “leader” of the synagogue.
Jesus performs a miraculous healing, in this case setting freeing a woman who had been bent for eighteen years.
So, the outline is familiar but there is a distinctive element to this particular story.
As far as we know, the bent-over woman has come to the synagogue on this particular Sabbath day with no expectation that, after eighteen long years, this would be the day of her healing.
It’s possible that she knew of Jesus’ reputation for miraculous healing and that, when she heard Jesus was going to be in the synagogue that day, she made sure to be there, too, hoping that she might be liberated from her suffering.
Possibly, but the text doesn’t say that.
In fact, notice that the woman does not even ask Jesus for healing. She doesn’t try to reach out and touch his garment.
No, Jesus takes the initiative.
Jesus sees her and calls her to him and without her having to say a word, he says, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”
He lays his hands on her and she is unbent.
We might expect everyone to rejoice at this miracle but there’s at least one person who’s not happy at all: the “leader” of the synagogue.
Now, as part of the religious establishment myself, I admit that I kind of sympathize with him.
In the face of Jesus’ obvious power – I mean, come on, everybody just saw the woman stand upright – you can feel the synagogue leader’s authority slipping away. How many suffering people has he healed, I wonder?
And, as is often the case when people fear that they are losing power, the leader falls back on the letter of the law. He points out that what Jesus has just done should not happen on the Sabbath. Any other day would be fine, but not the Sabbath, the day set aside for worship and rest.
And, you know, the leader is kind of right.
Jewish Law is clear that if there’s an emergency, people can offer aid to someone sick or injured on the Sabbath, of course.
But, as far as we know, the case of the bent-over woman was not an emergency. After all, if she had suffered for eighteen years she probably could have endured for one more day.
(Easy for me to say, I know.)
So, the synagogue leader is only kind of right because, while he knows the rules, but doesn’t know that he’s dealing with Jesus the Son of God.
And, God’s healing power cannot be somehow scheduled by us.
We cannot limit God’s grace in any way – as much as we might really like to help God decide just who should be healed and blessed, and when.
As I’ve sat with this story, my attention has been drawn to Jesus’ urgency.
When he sees the bent-over woman, he doesn’t make a mental note to meet with her after the service is over. He doesn’t tell her something like, “I’m sorry for your suffering, but see, I’m in the middle of teaching these people, so please wait for me until after I’m done.”
He doesn’t even say to the congregation something like, “Look at this poor woman. Let’s all pray for her, shall we?”
No, he immediately – right there, on the Sabbath in the synagogue, in the middle of his teaching – he immediately calls her forward and heals her.
Urgency.
As I’ve imagined this scene, I remembered a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. King said,
“The time is always right to do the right thing.”
Unfortunately, we’re really good at coming up with all sorts of reasons why, actually, this is not the right time to do the right thing.
Maybe we think we’re just too busy.
Or we’re reluctant to get entangled with someone else’s life.
I admit that those are my go-to excuses.
Or maybe we feel like we’re too old - or that we’re too young.
In today’s Old Testament lesson, we heard the call of the Prophet Jeremiah.
And, like any real prophet, Jeremiah tries to dodge God’s call.
(You always have to watch out for people who are really eager to be prophets – they’re always false prophets.)
Anyway, Jeremiah tries to wriggle away from God’s call by claiming that he’s just too young for such a monumental task.
Jeremiah says, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”
But, God doesn’t buy that.
Instead, God promises to be with this young prophet, giving him all that he really needs to complete his work.
“The time is always right to do the right thing.”
One of the things I love most about St. Thomas’ is that, maybe surprisingly for a church that’s been around for so long, we often have a strong sense of urgency.
It was around a year ago when many of us of watched in horror and shame as Afghan people, including many who had assisted the United States over the past couple of decades, scrambled desperately to escape their country as it fell again to the Taliban.
But, rather than just lamenting this tragedy, rather than just writing checks, our parishioners immediately began thinking boldly and creatively – wondering if we might welcome refugees here – and trying to figure out how to make that happen.
As many of you know, our sense of urgency crashed into many obstacles, bureaucratic and otherwise, but we’re close to welcoming our first guests.
And, by the way, our application was done so well that it’s being used as a model for others who want to take on this difficult task!
“The time is always right to do the right thing.”
Or, think about our “Bottoms Up” campaign.
As soon as we heard about the desperate need for diapers and feminine hygiene products, the donations have been pouring in – with parishioners and UPS and FedEx delivery people dropping off so many boxes that we’re almost creating a safety hazard over in the Parish Hall!
“The time is always right to do the right thing.”
Finally, this morning I have the great privilege of baptizing Teddy and Lily.
I mean what could be more joyful than two baptisms in August?
Three, I guess.
Just like at every Baptism, this morning there will be some big promises made, big promises renewed.
My prayer is that Teddy’s and Lily’s parents and godparents and all of us will feel a real sense of urgency. Although these children are young, there is no time to waste.
With God's help, it’s time – right now – to begin praying and breaking bread together – it’s time – right now to begin teaching them about loving God and loving their neighbors – it’s time – right now – to begin seeking and serving Christ in all people and respecting the dignity of every human being.
On a long ago Sabbath, right there in the synagogue, Jesus called forward the bent-over woman and healed her.
May we be blessed with that same sense of urgency, right here, right now.
“The time is always right to do the right thing.”
Amen.
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