SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2024 | AFTER PENTECOST - PROPER 8 (B)

Texts

Old Testament 2 Samuel 1:1, 17–27

New Testament 2 Corinthians 8:7–15

Gospel Mark 5:21–43

Notes:

2Sam: David laments the death of Jonathan, whom he loved very much and Jonathan loved him back. In today’s times, they might have gotten married and live together -> love transcends all our expectations

2Cor:

Mark:

Takes place after the storm - they made it to the other side. Jesus is busy in this one - not just one miracle, but two! 2 for 1 - first the healing of bleeding (the woman believed and touched his cloak) and then resurrection/resuscitation of a small girl. There was a rather big disbelief at Jesus’ capabilities, rightfully so. But he proved them wrong

Jesus the EMT in this passage. And then he gives them an instruction to feed her.

News this week:

SCOTUS pauses EPA plan to keep smog from drifting across state lines

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/27/24186454/ohio-v-epa-nox-good-neighbor-plan-smog-pollution-stay

The EPA’s Good Neighbor Plan compels 23 “upwind” states to curb certain pollutants from power plants and other industrial facilities before it drifts to other states downwind of them. It applies to nitrogen oxides, a key ingredient for smog (also called ground-level ozone), and replaces state plans that the EPA found to fall short of updated national air quality standards. The EPA expects its plan to prevent 1,300 premature deaths and more than 2,300 hospital and emergency room visits in 2026.

America’s drinking water is facing attack, with links back to China, Russia and Iran

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/26/americas-drinking-water-under-attack-china-russia-and-iran.html

Cyberattacks on the country’s water systems could damage infrastructure, disrupt the availability or flow of water, and alter chemical levels, contaminating public drinking water supply.

A recent string of attacks on water utilities included systems in Kansas, Texas and Pennsylvania.

Taking out critical national infrastructure has become a top priority for foreign-linked cybercriminals. “All drinking water and wastewater systems are at risk — large and small, urban and rural,” an EPA spokesman said.

n going after America’s water, hackers aren’t doing anything special. Despite rising fears of AI use in cyber threats, the go-to criminal way into systems remains preying on human foibles, be it via phishing, social engineering, or a system still running on a default password — “old school” cyberattacks, according to Ryan Witt, vice president of cybersecurity firm Proofpoint.

They took part in Apache ceremonies. Their schools expelled them for satanic activities

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2024/jun/24/apache-students-school-reservation

Good morning,

Oh my, Jesus’s been busy! After calming a storm, he gets out of the boat, waves at the crowd, then inadvertedly heals a woman by simply being touched by her, and THEN he resurrects/resuscitates a 12 year old girl. Wowza. Gospel of Mark is just so action packed, no time for fluff, the space on the tablet is limited!

To me, Jesus seems depicted like an EMT here - he knows what he is doing, doesn’t really waste time, pushes through the crowds, and gets the job done. It’s magnificent!

What strikes me is how much skepticism he has to face, they even laughed at him! What is this man talking about? She is dead, nothing and nobody will bring her back! The father probably thought - it’s the last resort, it is worth a shot, what’s the worst that can happen? Well, damage to his reputation perhaps that he trusted a charlatan, if it didn’t work.

And Jesus delivered, to everyone’s amazement, by only touching her and proclaiming a simple phrase in Aramaic. And then he has the audacity to order them not to tell anybody, say what.

Mark is probably closest to what was initially jotted down about Jesus and his earthly ministry - we cannot expect the same amount of detail describing emotions, the scene of action, or background information, no Alexandre Dumas or Stendhal, nothing too wordy and descriptive. It goes straight to the core of the matter, skips the gravy and potatoes and gets to the meat!

But that is good - we skip the theological fluff and meaning making of the early church and instead see a few things plainly:

People in Jesus’ times were also suspicious of miracles and deeds of power.

But some were hopeful enough in their desperation to “risk” believing, even if they didn’t have a full picture of who Jesus was.

Jesus didn’t help based on some merits or standing - he wished for God’s healing power to reach all those that were willing to receive it, even if it kind of simply happened by chance.

Ministering to women wasn’t a taboo to him, on the contrary, he welcomed it.

Throughout the gospel, Mark is setting up the building blocks of Jesus’ identity as Messiah that would come to completion at his resurrection. Jesus is the embodiment of Kingdom of God with his unconditional love, boundless inclusion, and purposeful actions. It has always clashed with the world all around it and it is supposed to. All it takes is to actually look at the news - Apache girls are punished for practicing their heritage by bigoted Christians at a Lutheran school standing on their own reservation in Arizona; some states like Indiana choose profit over mitigating their pollution drifting to “downwind” states in a lawsuit against EPA, even though it could o prevent 1,300 premature deaths and more than 2,300 hospital and emergency room visits in 2026; even before the war in Gaza is over, yet another one is on the horizon, this time in Lebanon; Scientists inject radioactive isotopes into rhinos in attempt to curb poaching… Where is the love and mercy of God in all this? Caring for your neighbor (state)? Nurturing ethnic heritage and learning from it? The kingdom of God is truly not of this world! And that is the Good News right here - if it were, we’d be in trouble!

There is just so much love and mercy that cannot be contained within the bounds of this reality and even what trickles in causes suspicion and animosity, it takes far less than a healing or resuscitation! Let us embrace the overwhelming and surprising mercy of God and make it our own through the Holy Spirit - saying no to the patterns of this world and choosing love and grace instead, just like Mark skipping the fluff and getting to the loving and caring! Amen.