YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU
WHOLE
The Rev. Harold Shepherd, CD, M.A., S.T.M., LL.B., LL.M.,
Ph.D.
Sermon from October 26, 2003
As Jesus and his disciples and a
large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of
Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When
he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout
out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
me!” Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want
me to do for you?” The blind man said to him,
“My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to
him, “Go; your faith has made you well.”
Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the
way. Mark 10:46-52
In today’s Gospel reading we find Bartimaeus, a blind
beggar, sitting beside the road at Jericho. When he heard
that Jesus was passing by, he recognized that this person
was in the position to help him. Jesus stopped and asked
what he wanted. To be able to see again was the response.
Bartimaeus believed that God was at work in Jesus. Through
him, he could be made whole. This trust in God through
Jesus brought about his healing. This is more than just a
miracle story. It has a deeper level that is important for
us today.
Today many people look for wholeness in the wrong places.
Depression, despair, loneliness, anger, and the like are
often met with inappropriate responses. Examples include
substance abuse, lashing out at others or withdrawing into
ourselves or using a variety of ways of escaping from
reality. These mechanisms either delay dealing with the
problems or actually make them worse. They do not promote
wholeness.
Why is it that responses to challenges in life vary from
person to person. Some seem unfazed by perceived insults,
whereas others may respond with extreme anger under similar
circumstances. Some people have much shorter fuses than
others who appear to have the patience of Job. Although it
is difficult to generalize, it is safe to say that part of
the answer lies in the individual’s sense of
self-worth. Those who have experienced acceptance and
unconditional love in their lives are better equipped to
face challenges in life without feeling that their very
being has been threatened. Those with low self-esteem who
are never able to come to the point in their lives that
they are comfortable with themselves are particularly
vulnerable to inappropriate responses to perceived slights.
Some people are raised by parents for whom nothing they do
is ever good enough. Any recognition that they receive must
be worked for. The message received loud and clear is that
they have no intrinsic worth- acceptance must be earned.
Relationships are based on a quid pro quo sense of
interaction that is mutually beneficial to the other
person’s interests. If the person is no longer in a
position to make a contribution, they no longer have any
worth, given that they have no intrinsic worth and dignity
as a human being created in God’s image. This puts
the person concerned under great stress.
From a physiological point of view, stress is part of human
response to emergency situations. The Limbic System
stimulates the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and
other hormones that increase breathing, the heart rate and
blood pressure to provide more oxygen-rich blood to the
brain and muscles. Clarity of thought and increased muscle
strength are needed to extricate oneself from
life-threatening situations. After the danger has passed,
the Parasypathetic Nervous System releases other
biochemicals to bring the body back into balance, or
“homeostatis.” The problem with the hormones
released when we feel threatened is that they depress the
immune system, growth and reproduction. This, added to
higher blood pressure, can create long-term health problems
if these hormones continue in our systems because of
chronic stress. If we are injured, it takes a longer period
of time to recover.
Until comparatively recently, the medical community was
sceptical about the relationship between the mind and the
body with respect to health. This has largely changed.
Those with a positive attitude can recover from illness
more quickly. Wholeness is not only a matter of exercise,
diet, sleep or medications if required. It also involves
effective stress management, warm and caring human
relationships, a sense of self-worth, a reason for living
and a positive attitude to life. An important element of
this is the degree to which our faith as Christians can
help us respond appropriately to challenges and set-backs.
It starts with healing of memories of past traumatic
experiences that have damaged our sense of self-worth and
made us feel weak and vulnerable. It proceeds with an
experience of the unconditional love of God that gives
meaning to our lives and inspires us to accept others as
they are, as difficult as this can sometimes can be. It is
experienced through a balanced life in which the mind, body
and spirit are nurtured in a supportive community
environment. It finds its fulfilment in our encounter with
the living Christ who tells us - your faith has made
you whole!