Faith Involves Risk, Trust and Uncertainty (Mark 7:24-37)

Seeds of faith are always within us;
sometimes it takes a crisis to nourish and encourage their growth.
Susan L. Taylor

I don't know how you would define 'Faith', but one common definition says faith' is a 'strong belief in the doctrines of a religion'. However, I find the Gospel reading for this coming Sunday (Mark 7:24-37) challenges this view because Mark recounts two different situations when people seek help from Jesus where their belief in the doctrines of Jesus' religion are secondary to their healing.

The first is a woman from the neighbouring country of Syrophoenicia. She wasn't a Jew but that did not stop her from begging Jesus to heal her daughter from her bizarre and anti-social behaviours. The second situation involved a man who was deaf and mute. He is taken to Jesus by friends who ask for him to be cured. Jesus responded to both requests and both people were healed.

However, the two stories invite us to explore their deeper significance if we want to find their relevance to our lives. And I believe that was the reason the Gospel writer included them – regardless of any health issues we may or may not have.

The first discovery is that both stories echo similar situations recorded in the ancient Hebrew Scriptures. The healing of the woman's child reminds us of Elijah healing a foreign woman's child in response to her pleading (1 Kings 17:8-16). Even the dodgy comparison Jesus made when he compared the child to a 'dog' echoes the words of 2 Kings 8:7-15.

Then the healing of the deaf-mute echoes Isaiah 29:18 and Isaiah 35:5-6. The latter reference looks forward to the day when the Hebrew captives would be released from Exile in Babylon (587-539 BCE). On that day the whole of creation would join in celebrating their release: the desert will burst into blossom, the blind will see, the ears of the deaf will be opened, the lame will leap like a deer and the mute will sing for joy! However, while both stories come to us from a different time, place and culture, they still remind us that we all have or will have to face times of risk, trust and uncertainty.

We see the reality of this sense of risk, trust and uncertainty spelt out more clearly in the story of the woman from Syrophoenicia. First, because she was a lone woman in a male-dominated society, and second, because she came from a different country and race which again marked her as an outsider. Further, she was travelling alone with a sick child and without access to any form of health care or support. However, she took the initiative and the risk of rebuff to beg help from Jesus. And what did Jesus do? As hard as it is to understand, he responded with a cultural insult. However, the woman was not deterred. She showed courage in being willing to debate with him and argue her case. She revealed her wisdom and worth by matching and winning his argument! In doing so, she reflected the radical calling for anyone, regardless of gender, race or religion, who seeks to follow in the Way of Jesus.

The author of Mark's Gospel then uses this short story to illustrate several important qualities of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. First, the Gospel way is not about rules or creedal statements – these are all sideline issues – yet how quickly they become bench-marks for belief and practice. In contrast, following the way of Jesus involves risk, trust and the willingness to live with a degree of uncertainty. It challenges us to move outside our comfort zone as the woman did in today's story. But above all else following in the Way of Jesus involves desire – a deep sense of motivational longing that energised the mother – and the men – in today's Gospel passage.

The same applies to us as well. Are we willing to reach out and realize our hopes and dreams? Or do we let them stay as longings and possibilities? Realising them may require a degree of risk, trust and the willingness to live with uncertainty. Being a follower of Jesus will be the same but we will not be on our own for he has promised to be with us – always.

Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga
May you find peace and good will on your journey.

Phil