Reading
for Feast of St. Francis Proper 21B:
Mark 9:38-48
October 1, 2006
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
On the morning of December 11, 2005, a crab fisherman spotted a female humpback whale in the open waters about 18 miles off the coast of San Francisco. The whale was about 50 feet long, weighing about 50 tons. It was having difficulty staying afloat because it had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. About 20 crab-pot ropes, 240 feet long, with 90 lb. hanging weights every 60 feet, were wrapped around the animal. Rope was wrapped at least four times around the tail and the back as well as around the left front flipper. There was a line in the whale’s mouth. The lines were cinched so tight, that the rope was digging into the animal’s blubber, leaving visible cuts.
The Marine Mammal Center was immediately alerted. The Center quickly assembled a team of divers to evaluate the situation. Team members realized that the only way to save the endangered whale was to dive into the water and cut the ropes. It was a risky maneuver because the mere flip of the humpback’s massive tail could easily kill them. Moved with compassion and a sense of mission, the divers willingly entered the water and spent about an hour cutting the ropes with a special curved knife. During the time, the whale floated passively in the water, giving off a strange vibration. While one of the divers was cutting the line from her mouth, the whale began to wink her eye at him. Once free, the humpback whale began swimming around in circles. She then swam to each of the divers, nuzzled him, and then swam to the next one. One of the divers reported: “It seemed kind of affectionate; like a dog that is happy to see you. I never felt threatened. It was an amazing, unbelievable experience.”
What was it that would move four divers to risk their lives to free a humpback
whale? It was compassion in the face of suffering! There has always been a
special bond between animals and humans, perhaps because we have been created
by the same God. The creation story in the book of Genesis points to the goodness
and interconnectedness of all creation. God said, “Let the waters bring
forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across
the dome of the sky. So God created the great sea monsters and every living
creature that moves…And God saw that it was good.” [Genesis 1:20]
It is this goodness, this love for creation, that we celebrate on this feast
day of St. Francis.
If four divers were willing to risk their lives in order to cut off the weights
and the ropes that were drowning a humpback whale, why wouldn’t we also
be willing to get rid of those things in our own lives that are drowning us?
Jesus speaks to this very issue in today’s gospel. He talks about stumbling
blocks that destroy the creatures of God. In particular, he talks about human
sin. He says: “If your hand…or your foot…or your eye…causes
you to stumble…get rid of it. It is better to have only one and remain
in the light, than to have two and enter into darkness.” [paraphrased
Mk. 9]
These sayings about maiming oneself rather than falling into sin, seem extraordinarily harsh. In his sayings and parables, Jesus often uses striking images and metaphors to get people’s attention and to drive his point home. In today’s gospel, Jesus is not making a rule that directs Christians to amputate parts of the body. We know that Jesus spent much of his ministry healing the blind and the lame. The Church has never advocated cutting off parts of the human body. In fact, persons throughout Christian history who actually mutilated their bodies, were criticized by the community. So how are we to interpret today’s gospel? I think Jesus is saying that we must be self-critical and remove those offenses that come from within. We must be willing to remake ourselves in the likeness of Christ. This means getting rid of those things in our lives that destroy our relationship with God, each other, and ourselves. So what is it that pulls you away from the light? This is what you need to cut out.
According to Christian thought, there are eight afflictions that affect human behavior. Most of us are hindered by one or more of these afflictions. There are afflictions of the body, which include food, sex, and things (also known as gluttony, lust, and greed). Those who are hindered by afflictions of the body often struggle with eating disorders, alcoholism, drugs, obsession with sex and pornography, overspending, and over-consumption. Then there are the afflictions of the mind, which include anger, dejection or depression. These afflictions can paralyze a person as well as destroy relationships. Finally, there are afflictions of the soul, which include sloth, vainglory, and pride. Afflictions of the soul are much more difficult to overcome. Oftentimes, the afflicted one is not motivated to change. What are we to do? How do we overcome these afflictions? This is where using spiritual tools are vital.
One of the best spiritual tools for avoiding stumbling blocks and dealing with afflictions is “the guarding of the heart.” To guard one’s heart means to resist encounters with people, places, or things that can cause us to stumble. For instance, if you are obsessed with shopping and buying things, guarding your heart would mean to avoid shopping malls. It might mean that you would have to cut up credit cards, throw catalogues directly into the trash, or shut off the shopping channel. If you are afflicted with alcohol, to guard your heart might include avoiding parties where alcohol is being served or friends who are heavy drinkers. If you are afflicted with anger, to guard your heart may require removing yourself from situations that cause you to boil over or making a commitment to say nothing until you are free from angry emotions. Guarding one’s heart, cutting out those things in our lives that cause us to stumble, is at the core of today’s gospel.
It is my hope that the humpback whale in today’s story stays away from those dangerous webs of crab pots. It is God’s hope that we stay away from those things that cause us to stumble and fall. “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” [Prayer attributed to St. Francis]
| Updated 11/11/06 |
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