“It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing.” — Mother Teresa
On of the intriguing and amazing things about Jesus is that he so rarely drew a stark contrast between matters of body and Soul. True there were some occasions where he makes clear that the realm of the soul and spirituality have priority ( Mat 10:28 and elsewhere) but for the most part he works hard to break down the division we ourselves often have in place.
So when it comes to the matter of caring for a human being he often does both – for the man carried on a stretcher and lowered through a roof Jesus says not only ‘your sins are forgiven’ but also ‘take up your bed and walk’. When he bids us pray for daily bread that is deliberately ambiguous, referring both to spiritual food but also to material food.
It is a message that the church has heeded throughout its history, seeking to care both for Body and soul. As the famous reformers passion for education made clear, it is hard for someone to think about spiritual matters if their stomachs are rumbling and hungry.
Last week I outlined that we were beginning a new sermon series for the summer, focussing on What type of Church God is calling St Christophers to be and in week 1 we will be exploring caring. Caring attends to our deepest needs as human beings, to be loved. On one level it kind of assumes that life can be very difficult at times – as the marriage service puts it, ‘in sickness or in health’. We all need a base level of being loved and care is one way we receive that love. Now I’m old enough and wise enough to know that we all understand and appreciate love and care in very different ways. I have many times tried to be caring, but failed miserably, as I did not understand the person well enough and often tried to impose on them my own love language rather than understand their own. I’m sure you too have got it wrong at times.
We also are imperfect human beings and so together when we come together as a church we have lots of imperfect human beings together. if you have ever read the job adverts for clergy you will find an impossible task list- and I know I and most clergy fall down on the Mother Theresa expectations of such adverts.
But even when it is very difficult, even when we mess it up, it is still a priceless commodity and of eternal value to the church and so it is a hugely helpful thing to explore together. Tomorrow’s Gospel reading takes us into a story about Jesus where he cares for spiritual and bodily needs. Jesus who did so many bodily healings a sign of his Kingdom.
We live in the church era of scripture where we are, with the Spirits help, God’s eyes and hands and voice and heart and God calls us to care. So I bid you come and explore caring with us, with an open heart.
And what I would like everyone to come with is a short answer to a simple question : Tell me about a time at church when you felt deeply cared for….?
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