Luke 8:40-56
There is one line in this passage that seems to jump out at me this morning. When Jesus is in a bustling crowd with people pressing in all around, the haemorrhaging woman reaches out and touches him. Jesus senses this right away. Jesus asks 'who touched me?' Everyone else seems incredulous at this question but Jesus persists.
I am in awe of people who are so present and so centered that this kind of awareness is almost second nature. I read a book quite some time ago that I have spoken of before called The Gospel According to Biff. If young (man) Jesus did not travel to the east and experience Zen and some of the other Eastern religions he certainly displays the aura and actions of eastern wisdom.
In some ways I think gay men have been blessed with such wisdom. As it has been a general rule (although the pendulum is gracefully and thankfully swinging) that gay people have not been accustomed to raising children. The gay spirit, hearts and attentiveness have been able to focus on other things. It some cases that has been totally worldly things but history has shown that gay men and women have been able to focus more on perfection of self, attention to the spiritual realm and the etherial. We have often found the gay community at the heart of art and expression; major contributors to vision, invention and exploring our human depth.
As I have suggested, I certainly see Lent as a time to try to become more fully human and to become more self aware. In some ways that would be to practice and be more Zen like. In a similar fashion it would be to be more gay. The gifts of being a gay man or woman is a gift not only to ourselves but to the rest of the world both gay and straight. Many things could be learned by the straight community if they would just enjoy life and self as much as gay people do.
I would call upon all people during Lent to be more gay if you are gay and to explore the joys of 'gayness' if you are straight. I cannot say if Jesus was gay or straight but there are indications that he was so gifted. Instead of people going around gay bashing or condemning a 'lifestyle', perhaps it is time to elevate and celebrate ourseleves and most assuredly being gay.
Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying.
As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her haemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ When all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.’ When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’
While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.’When Jesus heard this, he replied, ‘Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.’ When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, ‘Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called out, ‘Child, get up!’ Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.
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