Preaching the Scriptures

  The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Mark 5:21-43   Desperation   The late, great Henri Nouwen once wrote, “While visiting the University of Notre Dame, where I had been a teacher for a few years, I met an older experienced professor who had spent most of his life there. And while we strolled over the beautiful campus, he said with a certain melancholy in his voice, “You know, my whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered that my interruptions were my work.” [1]   I suspect, perhaps, Jesus agreed more whole-heartedly with this sentiment than did Jairus.   Because when Jesus stopped, then so did the little girl’s heart.   It is true that Jairus witnessed a beautiful miracle in that moment of interruption.   But also that same interruption cost him the miracle for which he so desperately longed.   And therein lies the tension: the interruptions are the work, but so too is the task list. ...

  The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Mark 4:35-41   A Deep Sleeper   Waking someone up from a nap is tricky thing – especially when you know they are really tired and they just look so peaceful.   In today’s Gospel, Jesus seems really tired.   Picture it with me, if you will: The water is falling from the sky in a quantity not seen since the days of Noah; and there, like a baby rocked to sleep in his mother’s arms, lies Jesus, his angelic face, just absolutely drenched by the deluge, his sacred head being tossed back and forth violently by the tumultuous waves, his precious body resting on an extremely saturated cushion.   The disciples must have, at least momentarily, wondered if he was dead.   The sleeping conditions were, one might say, not optimal.   Jesus was clearly tired from working the crowds, and delivering his parables, and casting out demons.   But I do believe this, this life-threatening storm, would qualify as an emergen...