![]() By Kathryn Aubry-McAvoy, Lay Preacher Today I’d like to share some thoughts about the importance of asking questions. In today’s reading from Mark Chapter 10, I became curious about Jesus’ conversation with the brothers Zebedee. (Isn’t that a great word, Zebedee? It means “Gift of God” and according to some interpretations it was the name of a humble fisherman who was the father of the disciples, James and John.) So, about the brothers Zebedee. We know that they have made great sacrifice. They have given up a lucrative fishing business, left their families and friends and have followed this man Jesus, the one many call “mad”, the one who keeps telling them to turn the world upside down, to become servants in order to become great, to get in line last in order to be first in the Kingdom of God on earth. The brothers Zebedee are likely getting tired in their ministry. (Anyone out there ever get tired in your ministry?) and so, they ask Jesus, “What’s in it for us? We are doing everything you asked of us, promise us the front row seat in the afterlife. We want to sit at your side. What’s in it for us?” Jesus, as he often does, answers with a question, “What is it you want me to do for you?” he says. Like a good therapist, he knows there’s often a deeper meaning in our asking and in our prayers. Jesus asks lots of questions according to scripture. In many of the stories in scripture, the reader can pretty quickly figure out the answers, usually within a chapter. The parables, for instance, are simple stories that illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. These narrative stories in Mark, follow Jesus thru his life, as he tries to teach his followers what it means to walk the way of love. I read that there are over 100 questions in Mark, they engage us and get us to think. In Mark 8, Jesus asks the disciples “Who do the people say that I am? They reply, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah. Pressing them further Jesus says “But who do you think I am?” When the disciples want Jesus to perform miracles in a great storm at sea, (Mark chapter 4), he asks “Why are you so afraid?” He knows there’s more to their fears than the fact that the boat might sink in the storm. In the healing stories Jesus often asks questions first: In Mark Chapter 5, a woman hemorrhaging for 12 years asks Jesus for healing. He says “Who is it who touches my cloak? Who is this person of such great faith, who are you, what is your whole truth.” He knows that these questions can lead to understanding her deepest needs. She does tell her whole truth, and Jesus heals her. Not in Mark, but in John Chapter 4, (my favorite Jesus conversation), he asks the Samaritan woman at the well, “Will you give me a drink.?” He is breaking racial and religious and gender barriers with this simple question. He shows her radical acceptance. She answers him, shares her whole story, including the mistakes in her life, and so Jesus gives her living water, everlasting life. Later in Mark, Chapter 10, a deeply faithful blind man comes to Jesus and shouts, “Jesus have mercy on me!” even though the crowd tries to shush him, Jesus calls him forward, Jesus doesn’t usually shush people, and he asks the blind man, “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus never assumes, he always probes deeper. He seems to love the questions. Loving the Questions is a program offered by the Diocese of Western Mass. It is a community of people who are interested in thinking and discerning, or discovering what the Holy Spirit has in store for them. Together they ask the question: “What is God calling us to do?” Several people from this community have participated in this program…you can find out about it online also. I wonder if the title “Loving the Questions” comes from the poet Rilke’s lovely little book which is comprised of 10 letters written to a young poet friend. Rilke writes “Be patient toward all that is unsettled in your heart and try to love the questions themselves” Jesus knew that many things are unsettled in our hearts and that often pondering the questions leads to answers. Sometimes surprising ones. So how can loving the questions help us in our personal lives, and in our community and church ministry? I know that in my life, at this stage of age, strength, and responsibilities, I find myself asking questions a lot, sometimes they are difficult ones that are frankly hard to love! They can reveal the need for change that can be challenging. In interpersonal relationships, asking questions can lead to understanding and to finding common ground. It can banish stereotypes and illuminate the many things we have in common. We could surely benefit these days from finding more common ground. And if we don’t ask, we likely won’t find it. And what about our work in community and ministry. Often, we get into a rut of thinking we know what others want and need. Surely creating dialogue regularly and often with the people we serve could lead to more effective ministry. Remember the beginning of the pandemic? besides being fearful, we as a church community were forced to ask questions we hadn’t asked much in the past. We asked, “What is it we truly need in our corporate life?” Worship accessibility was on the top of the list. Who would have predicted 10 years ago that today we would have on-line worship and a team of brilliant tech ministers? What a wonderful surprise! Co-warden Ben Cluff and I spend quite some time with Heather, (“quality” time ☺) asking lots of questions, then we join with the officers, and the vestry for more discernment, more questions. We don’t always have answers; sometimes we decide to stay the course for a while, sometimes (often) we need more data, (input from you, advice from experts), and sometimes we come to consensus quickly. So, I’ll leave you with these thoughts: Where do we need to ask more questions? Here are some we might ask: do we have the energy and resources for a particular ministry? Or is there a new and different way to show God’s love in the world? Is there a balance of work, rest and play in our personal and corporate lives? How can we serve the community best? What does walking the way of love mean in my life, at this age and stage of life? I think Jesus would say, keep asking, keep probing, find the deeper meaning and the hidden need, be patient and above all, expect wonderful surprises. I’ll end with Rilke: Quote: Be patient with all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you may not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer. Amen Comments are closed.
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