Parenting… alongside the Father - Canada Day brief sermon

May only God’s be spoken and only God’s words be heard – in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Amen

I am not and Atheist…., you may be pleased to know…

But if I were, if I had any doubts in my mind – when my daughter who was thought to be dead is made well, well enough, to get up and walk… I am certain that I would never again have any doubts at all

Being parent carries with it such an incredible joy to one’s life

Not that it is without challenges, as Matthew who has the ability to stay up well passed all the others, into the time when we as parents have long since grown tired and lacking in patience.

But parenthood carries with such moments of shear joy that nothing can compare to it

And…It also carries with it incredible all consuming task at times – to protect your children – sometimes with everything that you poses

I can remember in college when I took a basic psychology course, we heard of people that momentarily would poses superhuman strength, where the adrenalin is pumping so strong that all human logic goes out the door, strength enough to lift a small car, when their child was caught under it

Only to be completely exhausted for days after the event.

As Christians we have tale after tale of parents, leaving everything they had: family, friends, work, and status in a community – yet leaving it all to escape religious persecution and provide a better life for their children

So for the sake of my children… I think I would do whatever it took if I found out that they were sick or dieing and someone was in town that could save them.

            That is where we begin our Gospel account for today.

We begin with Jairus, one of the leaders of the synagogue – and his daughter appears to be on death’s door

Then out of nowhere this rabbi, this famous teacher, who is teaching a different message that even Jairus himself taught… for no reason at all, this rabbi who was across the lake, has arrived into town at precisely the moment when Jairus’ daughter is in the greatest need

            So fighting the crowds that press in on him, he makes his way to this Jesus

A Nazarene - This carpenter’s son – but, at this moment, when Jairus’ little girl is so sick, he will do whatever it takes – even believing in the one who is causing so much trouble for the establish Jewish religious leaders

            So through good fortune, Jairus has made his way right in front of Jesus

Out of utter desperation, falling to his knees, Jairus pleads with Jesus to save his poor sick little girl – there, in front of Jesus, looking up at His gentle eyes, Jairus knows that it is within Jesus’ power to simple lay His hands on her and she will be made well and ….live!           

As a parent – I can only imagine the incredible rollercoaster that Jairus must have been going through

Full of fear, desperate, unable to do anything yourself, Yet determined to try anything, and then to look into Jesus’ eyes and see that he will come and heal her

Then… then something stops the teacher, he starts looking around and asking “who touched him”

            ‘You gotta be kidding me’ – doesn’t He understand how urgent this is – she is dieing

                        And He is worried in a crowded street, who touched Him

                                    Jesus is then talking to a women – he saying what? – that her faith has made her well

That miracle was to be for me, for my little daughter

That unclean women has delayed the teacher too long – this is not good…OH NO… you have just been told, it is too late – she has died…   What am I going to do…

But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” Mark 5:37)

Right now at this moment in time put yourself in Jairus’ sandals…

            As your emotions are on this incredible roller coaster

                        Where your child is deathly sick

                        Then from across the lake comes this famous healer

                        Yet one that brings with Him a great deal of controversy

                        But throwing caution to wind – you risk everything you know

                                    Your family reputation – your job – your place in the community

                        You are drawn to Him

                        And He is willing – He comes – He follows you

                        But the crowd presses in

                        The bizarre healing of the unclean women

                                    A costly delay

                        And then to hear that it is too late – she has died

                        Just when all hope is draining out of you, while you are still in shock…

                        He tells you not to fear – only believe

And when you look at Him you know, you know – that belief is possible

As I said in the beginning, I am not an Atheist…

            But if I ever had a time machine… I know that I would want to meet Jesus

                        I think, as a parent… I would also want to be around that man – to share in his complete Joy

                                    The one that was thought to be lost… was saved

I would want to celebrate, both in seeing Jesus – and sharing with that family

I am sure that nothing in this world could ever shake my faith after meeting Jesus and being a witness to such an overwhelmingly emotional miracle

      I am sure that no atheist alive would ever doubt… if they were there

Like Jarius of nearly 2000 years ago – we get to choose who we will follow – and forget my time machine dream - we get to be part of the miracles

            But unlike Jairus with his solitary miracle – we have it all…

We have the whole story, the collected works of God’s most incredible miracles… one after another – the collective writings and experiences of so many that were blessed by God’s miracles

Big or small we have examples of them all – examples for us to relate to our own lives

And in response to this incredible legacy

God loves us so much that not only did He send His one and only son, to live as one of us, to teach us of the ways of the kingdom – on earth as it is in heaven, and then to make an sacrificial atoning death on the most brutal form of death known, the cross – then to have victory over death and all that is death

Not only that – but we are invited to share in that – to be part of the family

Like the baptisms of last week and with the Communion today – we are part of the God’s incredible miraculous invisible grace

     And given the opportunity to live in that grace, to live as members of the family

Brothers and sisters in Christ – thanks be to God – for He is good – He is generous beyond imagination

            And we are blessed beyond all we can rationalize and comprehend

We are blessed by God, as… one… of… His… very… own!        Amen