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I bet we have all had a job that “served.”
--It might have been a waitress or waiter at a restaurant;
--some might have delivered food;
--or helped out at a soup kitchen;
--or cleaned someone’s house;
--or taken care of someone
who was ill or small;
there are a million ways that we have served others. All of us.
And sometimes this service doesn’t come with a paycheck, or much fanfare, or much thanks. It is sometimes taken for granted, maybe even abused. So it was not surprising that a fair number of people commenting on this week’s gospel lesson were a little annoyed that Simon’s mother-in-law, who must have been pretty sick, was healed just to get up out of bed and serve them. What were they thinking? Where was Simon? Wouldn’t you want to give your mother-in-law a break, after being sick, and let her rest up a bit?
One professor argues that Simon’s mother-in-law wanted to serve, that the healing was so that she could do what she felt was her calling. Another recognizes that this “serving” seems to be geared mostly toward women, he notices that when Lazarus is resurrected/healed, he gets to recline at the table while Martha serves! (from Karoline Lewis and Matthew Skinner commentaries, for Feb. 8, 2015, www.workingpreacher.com)
I laughed out loud when I ran into this poem by Scott Barton based on our text.
Up from the Sickbed and Right to the Stove!
Up from the sickbed and right to the stove!
Into her work, Peter's moth'r-in-law dove!
Funny how quickly to work did she fly,
Asking, it seems, neither wherefore nor why;
Then the whole city showed up, while they pressed
Jesus to cure all the sick and possessed;
Out to the desert he went then to pray;
Simon and friends showing up in dismay
Maybe helped Jesus decide to move on -
Get out of town, while he could, before dawn.
Work's never done, and all need the good news,
Grace to the next one will God always choose.
Scott L. Barton
“Up from her sickbed and RIGHT to the stove!” But before we use this as a springboard to complain about the gender roles during Jesus’ time, or our own for that matter, let’s take another look at what the gospel writer is saying.
When Simon’s mother-in-law is “lifted up,” she diakonein—the root for our word deacon—she, as the NRSV says, “serves.” Now diakonein is not always translated “served.” In fact, that precise word has been used a little earlier in this chapter.
When Jesus is driven out
into the wilderness for 40 days,
tempted by Satan,
with the wild beats,
the angels “diakonein” him.
And does it say “served” in this case? No it does not. The New Revised Standard Version says, “waited on” which is at least in the same vein as served. Many other translations have “ministered.” So see, angels minister, we poor shleps just “serve.”
And this is where we need to claim the power of words. If diakonein is what angels do, then Simon’s mother-in-law is doing the work of angels when she is lifted up out of her sick bed, and makes sure that everyone else is taken care of.
I know someone is thinking “Oh, nice pastor. That doesn’t help me much. I’m still exhausted by all the things that have to be done for everyone else. Now I get to pat myself on the back and say, “well, I’m doing the work of angels!” Thanks a lot!”
I think imaging is a powerful tool. And I want to cling to the fact that deacon work--helping, serving, caring, reaching out--is like being an angel. It is important. It is close to God. As Mary Ann Tolbert points out, the door of this woman’s house “becomes the threshold for healing all in the city who are sick.” (The Women’s Bible Commentary)
And Jesus seems to be in this diakonein category as well. It was a good thing that Simon’s mother-in-law fed him, (did she also wash his feet? Anoint him?) because when sundown approached, all those who needed healing, all those who were possessed showed up. And, of course, everyone else wanted to see what would happen. The writer of the gospel says, “The whole city was at gathered around the door.” And Jesus healed many, and cast many demons out. It was probably a late night. Isn’t this serving? Ministering? Diakonein?
The work of angels is tough work. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. Even Jesus got tired. Even Jesus needed to recharge, fill back up, so he could be ready for the onslaught again. And so, early in the day, he got up and went to a deserted place and prayed—spent time with God.
If you know anything about the pace of the writer of Mark, you know that everything happens IMMEDIATELY—it is the shortest of the gospels and almost rushes from one event to another. But in this description of one long day in Jesus’ life, there is time, there must be time, for taking care of Jesus, himself. And this is a huge lesson for all of us who diakonein, who “minister,” who “serve.”
Often, we are so busy taking care of others, we forget about ourselves. Until we get sick. Until we get so tired we quit. Until we notice that life just doesn’t seem to hold the joy it used to.
Jesus took time. Time away from all that had to be done. There were still people who needed healing, and demons cast out. But at some point, you have to take a break, and take care. And that is not something that all of us know how to do. It feels selfish. It feels lazy. It feels “not right” somehow.
Doing angels’ work requires God-driven energy, and the only way to power up is to spend time connecting to God. For some people, that is meditating on Scripture. For others, it might be a walk in the park, with the sun bouncing off the snow. For still others, it might be time spent creating a poem, a painting, some cookies.
Think of it as a play-date. Yes, we all should be three for at least a portion of every week. What would you like to do? What would give you joy? Then do it, and look for God to be there with you, filling you up, lifting your spirits and your energy, so that you can return to your important angel work.
This too is following in Jesus’ footsteps.
So as Lent approaches, I invite all of us to consider:
How can we be lifted up to serve?
And what do we need to do
To have the energy, intelligence,
imagination, and love
required to diakonein others?
Doing the work of angels!
May God grant us all we need and more.
Alleluia, Amen.
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