The following homily was given at Grace Episcopal Church in Collage Hill, Cincinnati, Ohio on February 13, 2001. The service was led by Hawley Todd, TSSF the executive director of Episcopal Healing Ministries

Grace 2 13 11

Welcome to Grace Church for our service of healing and wholeness

Our scriptures appointed for today caused me a great deal of discomfort this week. They did not at first seem to be the easiest ones to use for a healing service or for our annual meeting!

What does the reading from Sirach say? Sirach 15:15-20

If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

He has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose. Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given.

For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every human action.

He has not commanded anyone to be wicked, and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

This passage is all about choosing.

The spiritual life at its core is learning to make choices that are pleasing to God

God created us to be whole and in balance and harmony with ourselves and one another

Healing is restoring ourselves, each other, and all of creation to the way God intended us all to be.

While there often are many things outside our control, there are always aspects of our lives that are within our control.

It is in those areas that God wants us to choose between life and death Between growing closer to God or growing further away

Between becoming the person God created us to be or becoming Judas "and he has not given anyone permission to sin."

That is a lead in to our second reading from the 5th chapter of Matthew.

This passage has always bothered me.

Why is Jesus talking about cutting one's hand off or plucking one's eye out???

On the surface, this passage is just plain disturbing. I have read of people who toke it literally and disfigured themselves.

Jesus said "27" You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

Whatever else Jesus is saying though, it is clear he takes sinning seriously.

He really does not want us to willfully sin.

He says that the inner act of lusting is as bad as the outer.

Earlier he said

21 "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' 22But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire.

He has moved the outer acts of murder and adultery to our inner life and our words.

And I think this is the CRITICAL POINT

Unlike the psychology and beliefs that I was taught in college that it is okay to think or feel whatever we want as long as we don't externalize them, Jesus is saying the condition of our hearts and minds are CRITICAL

If anything needs to be cut off or plucked out, it is not our outer physical bodies.

Rather it is the habits of thought and emotion that we entertain quietly in the hidden parts of our beings.

And what does this have to do with a healing service?

Remember that as we have been learning about healing and becoming the precious children God created us to be, I have stressed over and over that we a unified whole made up of a physical body, emotions, mind, and a spirit.

A sickness in any one area impacts all the areas.

My observation in working with people is that our bodies are often the last part of us to get sick.

Physical illness is often BUT NOT ALWAYS a manifestation of something amiss in our emotions, our thought patterns, and our spirit.

In this passage, Jesus is telling us to pay attention to our own inner lives.

First of all notice what is going on!

Then CHOOSE

Ephesians tells us to be angry but do not sin

Do not let the sun go down on your anger.

This is where choice comes in.

We get hurt

We get angry

But we decide - we choose what to do with the hurt and anger

The passage from Matthew though deals with another aspect of "sin" - missing the mark - that I want to touch on today.

23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

The gift - the worship - that God wants is for us to lead an ethical life

God wants us to truly love one another

And when we fail to do that - God wants us to make it right.

Say you are sorry

Make amends - that is true worship

Admit your errors and don't make excuses or offer reasons.

REPENT - turn around.

First to you sister and brother, and only then to God. How healing would that be for all of us???

When others hurt us, that they would admit their wrongs and come and be reconciled Yes they will know we are Christians by our love!!!!!

Grace Church strives to be open and welcoming to all people.

We strive to exclude no one

Read and live into our values and our goals.

Yet tolerating another's differences is not the same thing as honoring and welcoming them as a brother or sister.

Pay attention to what is going on inside your heart and mind

Ask Jesus to heal and transform whatever is within us that needs to be changed so that we can choose life and truly welcome each other and anyone who comes through our doors!

Let us pray!!!

The above homily is offered on the web to the glory of God by Episcopal Healing Ministries with the prayer that as you read you will receive a deeper understanding of Gods desire for healing and wholeness for you.