Matthew 9:9-13,18-26
Grafton Cathedral
Archdeacon Tiffany Sparks
According to Aristotle, Poverty is the parent of revolution and
crime. Now, this is confronting, and forces us to think non
dualistically. It is easy to cast people as either ‘all good’ or ‘all
bad’, but none of us are all one thing.
In today's Gospel we have the tax collector, who was seen as
corrupt, with suspicion that they would take more than their
share from those who have little. Tax collectors worked for the
Roman Regime and were seen as untrustworthy who were
seen to unjustly administer the tax system and keep the ‘cream’
for themselves. Then we are introduced to the haemorrhaging
woman and the Synagogue leader's daughter. Both of which
are pretty much no ones in society. They wouldn’t be ‘missed’
other than by their loved ones. They are collateral damage of
the system of the time. A woman who is perpetually bleeding is
outside of ever being ‘pure’ and a child had zero status in
society. Today’s readings are depicting Jesus with the
perceived ‘dregs of society’ or worse people with no status in
society at all. And he is walking among them, dining with them,
healing them and bringing life.
Now, we have to remember, the Gospel of Matthew is unique,
in that the 1st century Matthean Community were still law
observant. However, the sacrificial system and purity
observances were out of control and meant the people were
stuck in perpetual cycles of poverty, sickness and various other
forms of impurity. The sacrificial acts - as spelled out in
Leviticus and Deuteronomy usually involve the sacrifice of a
prescribed animal (usually a pigeon or unblemished goat or lamb)
to atone for particular sins. For Matthews community,
these acts of sacrifice and to achieve purity were of great
concern. And Jesus blows it up.
The exchange of a sacrifice as an act of contrition and
reconciliation became the default position of first century
pharisaical Judaism. This system was the way to ensure that
you were ‘right/correct with God’. So it makes no sense for
those watching Jesus - who were subscribers to the sacrificial
system - to see Jesus hanging out with the folk who were ‘not
right with God’. When questioned why he is hanging out with
the socially undesirables (because sharing table fellowship was
forbidden with people who were impure) Jesus responds with
‘Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’
The Gospel story then goes on to tell the story of the bleeding
woman Jesus healed and the 10 year old girl child Jesus
brought back to life. The woman who had been bleeding for 12
years and according to the Gospel of Luke spent all her money
on Physicians who didn’t heal her - and left her with nothing, so
that is 12 years where she would have been ostracised, and
would not even have the small mercy of sharing a meal with her
family. Forbidden. And the nameless girl child of the
Synagogue leader, who while doesn’t have a name, who is
forever remembered, because her story is shared here, and
restoring her life was seen as Good News.
Jesus is the Good News. Who came to bring good news to the
poor, to give liberty to the captives and to feed the hungry. To
reset the stage and to correct the perception that God is only
for some. God is for all. Poverty is the parent of revolution and
crime. Well……………..this kind of fits. Because Jesus’ life and
how he loved, revolutionised the world and to make the
metaphor work a little harder, Jesus was killed as a criminal
and for the next three hundred years, being a Christian was
illegal.
These actions of Jesus are not just miracles; they are symbols
of a profound spiritual shift. They present a challenge to a
society embedded in ritualistic sacrifices and purity laws. When
asked about his choice of company, Jesus, echoing the words
of the prophets Hosea and Micah, asserts, "I desire mercy, not
sacrifice." These words reverberate across time and space,
speaking to us even today, reminding us of God's deep desire
for justice, kindness, and steadfast love over ritualistic
sacrifices.
So, what does this mean for us, living in a world that seems to
be hurtling deeper into the abyss of disparity, intolerance, and
exclusion?
It means we have a calling, a divine mandate, to live out the
radical love that Jesus demonstrated in these narratives. A call
to see beyond the societal labels and engage with the humanity
that resides within everyone. To dine with the 'tax collectors' of
our time, to bring healing and hope to the marginalised, to
speak life into situations where there is none.
These stories of Jesus's ministry serve as a blueprint for our
own lives. As followers of Christ, we are called to mirror this
mercy, compassion, and radical inclusion in our interactions
with others, just like Suzanne DeWitt Hall reflects in her book
‘Where True Love is’, "Jesus, the creator of the universe, cares
about our smallest needs. He cares if we are wet and cold, if
we are hungry and discouraged, if we are frightened or lonely, if
we are marginalised and excluded."
In this broken world, we are not merely bystanders, we are
active participants. We have the responsibility to bring about
justice, mercy, and love in every aspect of our lives. As we face
challenges of poverty, injustice, inequality, let us remember the
words of Micah, 'And what does the Lord require of you but to
do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your
God?'
This calling to mercy over sacrifice, to love over legalism, and
to inclusivity over exclusion, is not an easy one. It challenges
our biases, our prejudices, and our comfort zones. But it is a
calling rooted in the ministry of Jesus, a calling that
acknowledges the inherent worth of everyone.
For in God's economy, there is no collateral damage, only
children, loved and cherished. In God's kingdom, mercy reigns
supreme, love is the law, and the table is big enough for all.
As we step out into the world, let us carry the spirit of mercy,
the spirit of Jesus in our hearts. Let our lives serve as a living
testimony to a world in desperate need of mercy, justice, and
love. Let us be the beacon of hope, a testament to God’s
unfailing love for all.
Amen.
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