I’m not a fan of needles. I know they exist to do a job and that job is invariably in my best interests so I have needles when required. They hurt momentarily in the big scheme of things. This week I gave blood and there was a needle involved and yes, there was that momentary sting but then it was doing its job. This time it wasn’t putting something into me but allowing what is usually best kept unseen to be seen, to be collected, and to be used. (If you see blood that’s not usually a good sign!) I think it is good to give blood if one is able to do so because it is in our best interests.
What impressed me was the skill of the phlebotomist. She asked me which arm I preferred to use and I tend to say something like “the arm with the better veins today” but if both arms ‘pass’ then I’d prefer my right arm. I held out my arms and she took one look and said that my right arm had been used far more than my left arm (which is true) and then when feeling the veins said that the right arm was much better (today) then the left. My body tells a story for someone who can read it! I have several scars from surgery and I expect medical people would be able to tell me why I had the surgery. Same with x-rays of my hand or shoulder or lungs. If you know how to read the signs …
We are hearing from Colossians at the moment in our 2nd Readings and Paul talks about the Body of Christ in two ways. People encountered Jesus through his body. When he was on Earth people saw Jesus physically – saw his body – buried his body – and there are witnesses who then said that they saw Jesus alive again bodily. (There is a bodily resurrection here!) After Jesus’ ascension, the people of this world encounter Jesus through his body and now we’re talking about the Church – the Body of Christ – and the marks of the Church are words, water, bread and wine. (Remember that there is a Christian Church, a one, holy, Christian/catholic, apostolic Church is an article of faith but where words, water, bread and wine are used as Jesus wants there is the Church.)
This means a number of things for Christians. I think we should have a local focus – our local congregation is where we are a member (of the Body of Christ) and we should have a global awareness that the Body of Christ is creedal – and in-between there is our denominational identity about what we teach about Jesus – what we preach and teach about God’s Word and how we use water, bread and wine. So members of Ascension are members of a local congregation, a Synod (the ELCE), and a denomination with those who teach the Book of Concord. This Body can have scars when words, water, bread and wine have not been taught or practised consistently or faithfully. (That’s why it is important for us to know the history of the Christian Church for the past 2,000 years – because the battle scars tell us stories of errors and truth.)
The hard part is to remember that the world sees us – sees the Body of Christ – rather than Jesus. Even we don’t see Jesus! And we’re not the focus here! We want the world to encounter Jesus! So we are going to be honest about our scars, clear about how everyone meets Jesus (words, water, bread and wine), and acknowledge that our Christian living is marked, above all, by daily repentance – so that when anyone sees us, they are pointed to Jesus and his scars! Because Jesus’ scars tell everyone about our sin and God’s grace! What our God has done is always in our best interests!
GS