Two Processions

Read: Luke 7:11-17

 

Third Sunday after Pentecost - June 9, 2013

The Rev. Kenneth R. Elkin

 

There were two processions that day in the little village of Nain.

There were two processions, and they were going different ways.

The first was a funeral procession on the way to the cemetery, a procession led by the women and the professional mourners wailing, so that the mother's crying would be covered.

It was a procession marked by grief and tears, for the only son of a widow had died.

In addition to normal grief, this was an economic disaster for the woman, whose social security lay only in her son's care for her.

Without him, she may well starve.

Grief, worry, and apprehension are here at this parade which leaves the town for the last time.

It is a parade of death.

 

The other procession is very different.

Jesus is moving on his way, his disciples with him, and a large crowd surrounding him.

They are all trying to hear what the young prophet has to say.

They are trying to see what amazing thing he might do next.

It is a procession marked by joy, excitement and wonder.

It is a procession of life.

 

The two procession meet.

What happens?

Do they merely pass by each other?

Does one rudely assert the right-of-way?

Do they avoid each other by giving wide berth?

Jesus is not one to avoid a situation.

He goes straight ahead to the first procession, and says to the widow, “Don't cry.”

He touches the bier and says to the young man, “Get up!”

 

Imagine that! Interrupting a funeral, and talking about life in the midst of death.

Moreover, even to touch a bier or a corpse is to defile oneself.

Anyone who came in contact with with dead is considered unclean.

Jesus reaches out and touches him.

Jesus is not afraid to break into even this most desperate human situation,

and he does so with decisive results.

The death procession is turned around, and becomes the occasion for the celebration of life given back again.

We need to be clear at this point: we're not talking about resurrection here.

Resurrection is a new-made life as shown to us in Jesus' own resurrection.

What happened to the young man at Nain was a restoration to the same life which he had earlier.

...Not resurrection, but restoration.... but still wonderful, and most helpful for his dear mother.

 

We do not know what happened to the young man after this, but no matter the events, whether he joined the crowd following Jesus or returned home, his restored life could never quite be the same as his life had been before Jesus encountered him and touched him.

He would forever be a living sign that Jesus intends to conquer every foe, including death.

Scripture does not say, but we can easily imagine that some of the enemies of Jesus would want to silence or dispose of this young man precisely because he is this living and talking sign of what Jesus can do.

The young man is a preparatory sign of the greater act of God to come in the resurrection of Jesus.

In that resurrection, we will receive not just a life restored, but, as Jesus, a new life realized.

 

What were the expectations of the folks in those two processions?

There was the grim emptiness of the widow.

Then there was the anticipation of the disciples that Jesus would pay attention almost exclusively to them,  since they had taken themselves away from fishing nets and other duties to be with him.

 

Such low horizons they had!

And others have them also.

I read about a man who went into a tattoo parlor in San Francisco.

Around the room were hundreds of designs from which to choose.

After examining many of them, the man paused at one which said “Born loser.”

He inquired of the artist, “Would anyone really have that permanently inscribed on his body?”

“Oh, yes,” was the reply.

When then man pressed him about what sort of person would request such an inscription, he replied, “Before it is tattooed on his flesh, it has long since been marked upon his mind.”

Such low horizons we have, such limited expectations!

 

It is the blessedness of Jesus to break into our short-range sight, to both renew our lives now, and to announce the re-making of life in the final presence of God.

...to give us gifts that can go so far beyond our pale expectations!

 

Audrey and Jake Commerford are looking forward to their first child in several months.

Their lives are being turned upside down as they get ready for the birth.

Do they know what new possibilities are opened up because of this child? No

Do they know all of the ways in which they will be changed because of this birth?  No.

If there is so much unknown about a regular human birth, how much more remains a mystery as we begin the life of faith?

Our Lord Jesus may lead us in such things that we cannot imagine how they will turn out.

 

And that does not mean that things will be easy for us.

Faith is not some sort of magic potion that will ward off all trouble.

Deadly illnesses, interpersonal conflicts, natural disasters, personal sadnesses can all weigh us down.

 

But still, Jesus can lead us through these difficult times.

He may surprise us us who have such limited horizons.

He will change our death processions into life parades.

It is difficult to see now the way in which things are heading, but Jesus has touched us in Holy Baptism and bids us to get up! And to follow him.

 

The temptation is always there to say “Why bother?”

These days we're having trouble keeping Lutheran Shared Ministry organized and moving ahead.

It is our one place to get pastors and lay leaders together, but pastors are conspicuously absent and lay leaders are haphazard, and no one wants to venture a direction for fear of being criticized by someone else.

Which kind of procession will it be?

Will it be a funeral procession, a why bother? Procession.

Or will it be a procession of a different sort, where people say, “Let's try it,” and if we come up with some tools that help us to reach out to others with the Good News of Jesus and to care for each other, then it will be a procession of life and a time of rejoicing with Jesus.

 

So, you're a grandparent who hasn't been involved in Vacation Bible School for 20 years. Why not this year?  Ask, and you'll get a task, or just sit beside a little one who needs some help. Get on the procession of life and rejoice with Jesus.

 

Two weeks from today Becky is going to have a session with Family Promise volunteers to go over all the procedures for hosting.  It is to be a review for our long-time volunteers especially, for you to ask all the questions that you've been thinking about but haven't asked yet.  It might also be a teaser of an introduction for some who haven't helped with hosting yet.  Get on the procession of life and rejoice with Jesus.

 

“And great fear seized the people and they glorified God, saying 'God has visited his people.'”

That was the reaction to the change of the procession from what they expected.

God has visited his people, just as in the old days, just as in the time of the Exodus, and the time of the prophets.

God has come near, and done great things for us in Christ Jesus.

May our eyes and our hearts be open to see and receive it!

 

There were two processions that day.

The Good News from the little village of Nain is that God intends to do more than we can yet imagine in and through us.

Let your eyes, ears, and hearts be opened to the procession of  life still ahead of us!  Amen.