Saint George's Anglican Church

                                                                          Epiphany 3, 2010

                                      “ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

                                                                            (Romans 12.21)

                              In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.  

Last week, the Gospel  gave us Jesus’ first miracle, when He changed water into wine, and we considered how He desires to change us – from the children of Adam and Eve into the children of God; from sinners into saints; from darkness into light; from earthly to heavenly; from death into life. The Lord wants to manifest His glory in us – He wants His holy charity to shine through us – so that others would come to experience the new life of Christ.

This week, the Gospel and Epistle set out some things we need to be aware of, and some things that we need to do, so as not to block the light of Christ from shining through us.  First of all, it is important to note who approached Jesus at the beginning of today’s Gospel. It was a leper. This poor man had suffered greatly with this disease and the horrible sores that came with it. Often lepers experienced gross injuries to their extremities because of the nerve damage caused by leprousy. For example, not being able to feel the tips of their fingers or toes they easily burned themselves. In any case, as with any of the people presented in the Gospel, we need to see ourselves in this man. He reminds us of the spiritual leprousy we all have as human beings , which is sin. This condition manifests itself in many, many ways, and is resistant to change. Spiritual leprousy gives way to greed, jealousy, resentment, pride, hatred, anger, sexual immorality, filthy talk and all kinds of other selfish behaviours.

The true story is told of a group of Lutheran Nuns who hoped to build a workshop on the land adjoining their Mother House. However, a narrow strip of this land belonged to an elderly woman who insisted that under no circumstances should people give up what they had inherited from their parents. Although many friendly visits had been made by one of the Sisters to discuss the matter, there was no progress. In fact, the gravity of the situation was really felt one day when the elderly woman’s nephew gave the Nun a tour of his great Aunt’s home. Not realizing her neighbor was away, perhaps , the Nun followed the boy into the house. He took her to the elderly lady’s room which was crowded with enough furniture for a whole house, most of it old and dilapidated. In the corner was a bed. The boy took the Nun over to it and showed her how his Aunt used a ladder to get into it because she had stacked all the mattresses that she had inherited from her family on top of each other, and slept on the top one.

Extreme as it is, this situation is a reminder of how bound we can become to the things of this world. This desire to hold onto material possessions is like a spiritual leprousy that numbs our minds and hearts to the great Mercy of God and to the call of His Son for us to follow Him. How can God’s glory shine through us, and how can His Love flow through us, if we have filled our hearts with other things and worldly agendas?

In addition to the desire to hold onto the people and things of this world, our lives can be overtaken with other habits that are resistant to change. For example, in this morning’s Epistle, St. Paul reminds us how we can easily fill our hearts with resentment against someone who has wronged us. He speaks about the spiritual danger of trying to avenge ourselves: “Leave all of that to the Lord,” he says, “and overcome evil with good”. What a wonderful piece of advice for us all as we battle this particular strain of spiritual leprousy: “Overcome evil with good”. In other words, instead of filling your heart with resentment and anger which will quickly block the beautiful Light of Jesus, why not bless the one who has wronged you: “If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink”. In all of these difficult circumstances, our desire should be for God’s glory – for the Light of Christ to shine; for His Love to be shared; and for His Truth to be known. Why? Because, as His children, this is our life’s work – to be instruments of His holy transformation and healing, and channels of His Peace.

Following the healing of the leper, Jesus went to the city of Capernaum. Capernaum was the chief commercial and social center of the area during Jesus’ ministry. It was there on the great highway between Syria and Palestine that the custom taxes were collected and a Roman garrison was stationed. It was at Capernaum that Jesus called Matthew, the tax collector, to be his disciple. As we think about the second part of today’s Gospel, these details will be helpful.

Upon entering the city, a Roman officer (a centurion) who was in charge of one hundred men, came up to Jesus and told Him about His servant who was very sick. Jesus offered to go with the man and perform a healing. But the centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say unto one man, ‘Go’, and he goeth; and to another, ‘Come’, and he cometh; and to me servant, ‘Do this’, and he doeth it.” When Jesus heard that, we are told that He marveled and said, “Truly I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel”. Then, He told the centurion, “Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” And his servant was healed in the self-same hour.

Interesting isn’t it? Here was a man in the center of what was then the cosmopolitan world. He was an officer with authority in the world’s most powerful army. The conveniences and pleasures of Capernaum were at his fingertips. But what does he do? He approaches Jesus with great faith. “You do not need to come to my house, Lord. I am not worthy enough for that. Just speak the word and I know that my servant will be healed.” Amazing, really, this man’s faith. He believes in Christ’s power without having to see it at work. He does not need to manage or control or direct the event, he simply trusts that Jesus will do what is required. And his act of faith, of course, is a message to us.

Today’s Collect beautifully summarizes all that we have talked about. It begins by asking the Almighty and Everlasting God to mercifully look upon our infirmities --  whatever form of spiritual leprousy they may take. Be it a problem with anger or resentment towards someone who has wronged us (as in today’s Epistle); or be it some attachment to the world which has paralysed us or numbed us spiritually, as with the elderly lady visited by the Nun. “Look mercifully upon our infirmities, O Lord.” …….“However, please don’t just look upon us in our struggles, but also stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us.” In other words, continue your perfect work in us so that we may be changed and healed.

As we face the infirmities of this old life and experience the many faces of suffering, let us remember the faith of today’s leper and centurion. Both of them trusted in the Lord to help them with situations in which they were completely powerless. We, too, are powerless in so many areas – over nature; over sickness; over death. We are powerless to save ourselves from our own sins. Who can help us? What shall we do? Only God can help us and we should out our whole trust and confidence in His Son, Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all might, majesty, dominion, power, honour and glory forever and ever. AMEN.