We don’t see right
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 98
The book of Wisdom says “God did not make death.” How is that possible? Didn’t God create everything?
Yes, God created everything that exists. In fact, it is by the will of God that everything that exists continues to exist.
But God did not make death.
So, if God created everything, but God did not make death, what does that mean?
Death does not exist. Death is not a “thing.” Death is a lack of life, but it is not a “thing.” We see it, and we fear it, but death does not exist. We do not see things the way that God sees things, do we?
The ruler’s servants sent word to him – “Your daughter is dead.” But what does Jesus say? She is not dead but sleeping.” This is the same thing Jesus says when they bring word to him that Lazarus has died. “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep.” Saint Bede tells us that the Christan custom of referring to the dead as those who sleep arises from these words of Jesus. Those who sleep will awake.
Do you know that of all the world’s religions, none but those who worship the God of Abraham believe in the resurrection of the body? Others might believe a soul returns to a new human or animal body, but only Judaism, Christianity, and Islam believe in the resurrection of the body.
We have been given the opportunity to understand death and resurrection, but even with all we have received, we still do not see the way God sees.
And how do we see creation? God says it is good. The author of Wisdom says the creatures of the world are wholesome. Do we see creation the same way?
Fly season has begun in West Texas. Flies are disgusting and annoying, but we understand they also help with decomposition. They are necessary, and, in the big picture, they are wholesome.
Once we thought wolves and lions were unwholesome. We nearly killed them all in our country. Then we discovered that grazers and foragers like deer and bison need a predator population to keep them healthy. And mosquitos? For many centuries, we could point to mosquitos as evidence that we live in a fallen world. They suck our blood, and spread disease, but are no good at all. But we understand now that they are pollinators. In the arctic it is swarms of mosquitoes that pollinate most of the plants. Yes, they bit us, but it is only the females that drink blood so they can get the proteins they need to lay eggs. We don’t like them, but they are wholesome and necessary.
We do not see creation the way God sees creation.
And our neighbor? Do we find those less than us to be obnoxious? Are we envious of those greater than us? Are we too busy for others?
Jesus, who was rich, became poor for us. From his poverty, he made us rich. Do we share humbly from our abundance with those who do not have enough? Do we accept with thankfulness what is given, without embarrassment or complaint? How do we see riches and poverty? Jesus saw poverty as an opportunity to draw all people to God. Do we see riches and poverty the way God sees them?
And our neighbors. Do we see them as God sees? Do we look upon them with love? Do we see others and their needs as more important, or less important than ourselves?
Jesus was on a time-sensitive mission to save the life of a church official’s daughter. He was a good man who had the courage to come and beg for Jesus to come and save his daughter who was at the very point of death. And yet, a random woman touched him in the middle of a crowd, and Jesus stopped. This woman had a physical illness, and had spent all of her money searching for cures. Since she was sick, she was also unclean and could not enter the temple to worship God. She was sick, poor, unclean, and outcast.
But Jesus stopped. The disciples are confused. On the way to save the life of the innocent child of a good man, he stopped to help this woman. What about us? Are we too busy doing things, perhaps even very good things, to stop and help someone in need?
The light of the Gospel is intended to show us the truth that we are created in the image of God. We are good, and we are loved. Yes, we are fallen, but we have been redeemed. The creation in which we live is suffering as a result of sin, but it is good. Are we rich? God has provided us the means by which we can supply the needs of others. Are we poor? We should not be envious or ashamed, because Jesus Christ himself was poor. Death does not exist for us. Jesus Christ has shattered the illusion of death through his resurrection – a resurrection we will share.
May we allow God to open our eyes to see life and death, ourselves and our neighbor, and all of creation in the light of the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
