Believing and Seeing – which is first?

Believing.  Seeing.  Which comes first?  Do you need to see it to believe it… or does believing something enable you to see things more clearly?  We’re called to consider both.  Our doubting disciple (Thomas) says about the resurrection, “I’ll believe it when I see it”… Jesus does show him his wounds.  Then Jesus says to other (and to us), “blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” 

Sometimes we just don’t see what’s right in front of us.  It’s not because we’re physically blind, but because we’re pre-occupied with our own concerns, with what we want to pay attention to, with what experience has taught us to expect / to look out for.  We know this as tunnel vision, as selective seeing, etc..  It’s what causes to say, startled, ‘I didn’t see you there’, enables us to be ‘blind-sided’, or leads us to proclaim, ‘I didn’t see it coming.’

Sometimes, when we change our mind or think differently, we begin seeing things differently… noticing anew.  With new beliefs will sometimes come new behaviors.

We’re on the look-out for data/evidence to support our new perspective. When we get a bigger mind about something, we perceive patterns and connections that we hadn’t noticed before.  We might even begin acting contrary to what our circumstances or convention suggest because we believe we’re part of a something yet unseen or unrealized… and have hope or faith that what we’ve come to believe in will be shown to be true, despite the present predicaments.

The relationship between seeing and believing – between preconception and action – is very relevant to our relationship with the stories in our Holy Bible as well as our Christian discipleship.  Some prayerful reflection on the relationship between what is seen and what we believe is prudent as we observe where we’ve been as a community and envisions possibilities for our future ministry here in Christ’s name.

Now let’s engage our imaginations through an exercise inspired by Ignatianspirituality.  Putting ourselves into scriptural stories to see them from the inside from multiple perspectives is a wonderful way to feast on the Word and taste new things form stories that we’ve heard many times before.

As a little exercise, let’s consider different points of view in today’s Gospel lesson (Mark 10:46-52 – ‘blind Bartimaeus’).  We’re in the last major stop of Jesus’s tour of healing and teaching before he enters Jerusalem.  The section of Mark’s telling of the good news is bookended by stories of Jesus restoring sight to the blind – of helping people ‘see’ (Mark 8:22-10:52).  So, let’s consider ‘seeing’ anew.  How might changing our point of view help us to see things differently?

First, we’re in the crowd of followers, following this charismatic prophet / teacher / miracle worker who seems to have emerged out of a very unexpected place (ordinary, rural town).  This Jesus of Nazareth and his posse have come through our town (Jericho) and we’re crowding around them to see if we can catch a glimpse of him doing something to justify his reputation.   Further, perhaps some of us have come to believe, based on what we’ve heard about him, that he’s been ordained by God to lead a revolution against the Roman establishment and we want to get caught up in the zeal of this possibility.  We’re huddled around them, fascinated and curious.  From somewhere on the margins of the crowd we keep hearing an obnoxious voice crying out “Son of David, have mercy on me.”  Oh, great it’s that no-good panhandling beggar who’s always at the side of this road.  He ought to be ashamed of himself being such a nuisance.  He ought to be quiet – if he’d behave better, people might not be so put off by him and have a little more pity on his poor existence.  We certainly don’t want this potential messiah to believe that we tolerate this beggar’s obnoxious behavior.  “Be quiet!” we insist.  That is, until Jesus stops in the middle of the road.  What?!  Jesus has heard this particular beggar over the roar and rush of the crowd?!  He’s calling for the beggar?!  Some of us begin to suddenly change our tune.  Toward that no-good nobody that we were just trying to silence, we now suddenly smile and seem supportive – perhaps Jesus will notice us trying to help.  “Come here beggar.  Be happy.  He is calling for you.”

Mob mentality.  Following the crowd.  Circling the wagons to protect those on the inside from those on the outside.  Leaving behind, or leaving out, to fend for themselves those who we believe to be problematic or otherwise not worth our effort.

Yet, Jesus stopped the action and called our attention to that unlikely one – the one who has been begging his whole life.  The one who we’ve presumed must have done something wrong to have received such curses from God.

We’re seeing this.  Do we believe it?

Then, what must have this scene have looked like from the beggar’s perspective?  Blind, perhaps from birth, you’ve been marginalized by a society that doesn’t have the resources or concern to offer to special consideration or support.  There is no ‘Citizens of Jericho with Disabilities Act” that requires society to accommodate you or your needs.  Most people probably assume there’s something fundamentally wrong with you in the eyes of God to have suffered this fate.  In fact, even your family has abandoned you to beg by the roadside for your daily sustenance.  Thought you can’t see, your hearing is very acute and you’ve learned a lot by listening what others say.  Lately, you’ve been hearing a lot about this amazing Jesus from Nazareth who might be of royal lineage and seems to be fulfilling prophecies that you’ve heard about.  You’ve heard of miraculous healings taking place in his presence and how he has restored people to standing in their communities by offering special attention to them, even against prevailing prejudices.  What if he can do the same for you?  This might be your one shot.  You’re not going to let this pass you by.  You need his attention – you need Jesus to notice you.  You will not listen to the wannabe-in-crown telling you to be quiet.  You’re not to going to listen to those presuming to protect Jesus from the like of you – to those who you’ve heard belittling you and whispering things like “but for the grace of God there, go I” when they pass you on the street.  You believe that it’s entirely possible for this Jesus to heal redeem you, despite the prevailing pressure of the large crowd.  You are using all the strength left in your voice to cry out to this Jesus, Son of David, to have mercy on you – hoping for him to just nod in your direction, acknowledging your existence.  But he does so much more.  Jesus stops the action in the streets.  He turns and asks for you.  This is it!  You believe this will change your life.  So, you throw off your cloak – the quiet-literal ‘security’ blanket that has been your means of protection from the elements as well as your way of collecting coins thrown in your direction.  You don’t want anything to weigh you down at this point – you need to be totally exposed and available for even a brief touch from this healer.  Perhaps you even believe that won’t need that cloak anymore when Jesus is done with you.  And the moment has arrived, you’re face-to-face with Jesus and he asks, ‘What do you want me to do for you?” (pause – repeat)  It comes out of your mouth with conviction and all the hope you have left, “My teacher, let me see again.” (pause)  He has heard you and has sensed the intensity of your belief.  He says to you, ‘Go out!  Your faith has made you well, has saved you, and has rescued you.’  You can’t “go” away from this teacher.  He has just given you new sight, essentially a new life.  You can’t help but leave behind you old life – it’s dead to you now.  You will continue to follow Jesus on his way – both in terms of where he’s literally headed and in terms of ‘the way of life’ that he teaches.  You’re his now.

Carefully listening to and learning from what is said by those around you.  Humbly doing what you need to do in order to make ends meet.  Persisting toward a relationship with Christ, even when those who presume to protect Jesus tell you to sit down and be quiet.  Faithfully casting off what you believe has been keeping you safe in order to more fully encounter Christ.  Coming to ‘see’ truth and then deciding to continue following it, even if it means leaving behind your previous way of life.

What does the Spirit want us to see?

And finally, what about from Jesus’ perspective?  Look at all you’ve been through since your baptism (by your friend John, who has now been callously executed).  You’ve called simple people, from common walks of life, to be your followers and students.  You’ve demonstrated for them time and again your desire to heal and restore even those who are considered lost causes, untouchable, and sin-laden.  You’ve fed multitudes, exorcised demons (who seem to see you more clearly than anyone else around you), been transfigured on a mountain top with no less than Elijah and Moses, opened the ears of the deaf and at least once before given sight to the blind.  You’ve taught and you’ve even been explicit about your destiny and the destiny of those who choose to follow you. Yet, your motives and ministry has been constantly challenged by political and religious authorities who you know are now conspiring against you.  And, surrounding you are beloved, but thick-headed and short-sighted disciples who don’t seem to be getting the bigger picture – they’re so fixated on their preconceptions about restoration to earthly royalty and salvation through dominant power rather than seeing and seeking God’s mercy and grace through humble service in spiritual kingdom that is already at hand, if they’d choose to see it and believe in it.  These crowds!  They keep asking for things that are so short-sighted; yet I have compassion for them, each and all.  Look! There is one – one who despite circumstances is maintaining faith and hope; one who is not seeking status or security; one who is willing to surrender what little self-made security he has left in order to follow me.  All he asks is to ‘see.’  I’m going to tell him the same thing I told that hemorrhaging woman.  Let’s get him in here… let’s bring him on our way with us.  Perhaps his story, like hers, will help others ‘see’ my power working through faith, what salvation is really about, and how to follow me.

Now let’s consider seeing and believing about where we are today as a community.  I understand this is stewardship season and that Fr. Seville and the Stewardship Committee will be speaking with you soon about how your perceive your own wealth and to see anew opportunities for faithful giving your time, talent and financial resources.  Also, I’m told that this afternoon, the St. Paul’s family is invited to join in some story-telling and creation of a timeline of our history – looking back to notice where we’ve come from, see how we got here, and envision together what might be in the future. 

So, let’s consider three perspectives on where we find ourselves today, with Jesus here in our midst.  First, from the inside of this place looking out into the word.  Them, from out there looking back at the church.  And finally, from the point of view of person-to-person connections, face-to-face encounters with Christ.

Here in the St. Paul’s community, what are we used to seeing?  What has experience taught you to expect / to look out for?  Do we crowd around Jesus, more focused on preserving and protecting what we believe to be true than on turn our attentions inside-out and inviting in those who are still along the roadside, perhaps risking that their faith will challenge us to see and believe things differently in here?  What do we see as possibilities for our future in ministry here?  Are we being too short-sighted?  Are we blind to potential that Christ wants us to see?

What about those outside our church family – what do they see?  How do those not ‘in the crowd’ perceive us and our mission?  Seeing what we focus on, what continues to occupy our attention, where we invest our resources, what are they lead to believe that we’re really about in Christ’s name? 

And, in each of our lives?  Caught up in our sometime frantic lives, what are we too often turning a blind eye to?   What might we not be seeing that is right here in front of us as an opportunity with Jesus?  What cloaks ought we consider casting off in order to approach Jesus with more faithful vulnerability?  In what ways do you need Jesus to open your eyes to see more clearly?  If Jesus asks you, “What do you want me to do for you?” what would be your first answer?  What do you imagine Jesus wants to do for you?

As the Rolling Stones once sang, “you can’t always get what you want.  But if you try sometime, you just might find you get what you need.”

“Beggar God, you call us from the roadside to see ourselves in you: let us take heart and come to you, though your road leads to Calvary and absent sun, to love revealed for lightless eyes; through Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God. Amen.”

(Shakespeare, Steven. Prayers for An Inclusive Church (NY: Church Publishing, 2009) p.74)