Ordinary Miracles

​By Kathryn Aubry-McAvoy, Lay Preacher

​Today is the 4th Sunday of Easter. It is commonly known as “Good Shepherd Sunday. Lately I’ve been weary, how about you? (I recently read that the CDC has coined an expression for a feeling that a good number of adults are experiencing; they call it “The Great Exhaustion”. It seems that many of us have had difficulty resuming healthy patterns of rest, work and play, since the Pandemic. ) It’s tiring to try to make sense of this complicated and often distressing world. I could use some comfort, some simple messages meant for ordinary disciples like you and me.  “Good Shepherd Sunday” came just in time.   
In the teachings of the church year, we are asked to grapple with some pretty complex ideas. I know they all have deep meaning for us to- day, but I always appreciate simple lessons; my life, our lives, are complicated enough! We hear amazing stories in the lessons every Sunday: immaculate conception, angels, guiding stars, the many signs and miracles of Jesus, the deep self-reflection of Lent, the pathos of Passion week, the mysterious waiting by the tomb and the miracle of resurrection on Easter Sunday. In the Sundays following Easter, we see the resurrected Jesus mysteriously returning to the disciples to continue teaching in preparation for his final departure from earth and completion of his earthy mission at the Ascension…. And wait, then the holy Spirit will descend upon us at Pentecost!  Whew, it’s a lot!  This story, our story is mysterious and amazing and sometimes exhausting.
 
But today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” is perhaps the most beloved, comforting and well-known of the psalms. It is often chosen at funerals, even by people who don’t consider themselves religious. It is a beautiful song about life, it is not particularly mysterious…God gives us green pastures, still water and refreshment for our souls. We also must walk through dark valleys and face evil and injustice and death…in other words, ordinary life. The extraordinary part of it is that we have a promise that goodness and mercy will follow us. This goodness and mercy comes to us in the form of ordinary things: a table set for us, oil to soothe us, and green pastures to lie in.
 
Even in Revelations, that book written in strikingly symbolic, apocalyptic style, so foreign to modern readers; in it we are reassured that God will protect us, even during times of tribulation. The Lamb will lead us to “springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear.”
 
Today’s gospel reading is different from the others we hear in this Easter season. The last 3 Sundays’ Gospels have featured the resurrected Jesus mysteriously appearing to the disciples.
In Chapter 10 of the Gospel according to John, which we hear today, Jesus (apparently alive and well) is walking in the portico of Solomon. It appears that this is happening before the crucifixion and near the end of his all too short life of preaching and teaching. It is winter. Jesus sounds irritated, understandable as he has been trying to get his message across for so long.  He is speaking to leaders who have been self-serving and exclusive. The people gather around him, they are waiting for explanation, they say they have been kept in suspense.  They want plain talk.  He replies, plainly: “Believe and you will never perish, you will be given eternal life.” Nothing can change the relationship between the sheep and their shepherd if you believe; see the works I do in my father’s name. Contrast Jesus’ leadership style with that of the Pharisees.
 This and other passages in John’s gospel have done great harm to our Jewish siblings. The historical context, and John’s particular focus are complex, but it’s important to remember that when Jesus says “you do not belong to my sheep”, he is speaking to some of the Pharisees, those religious leaders of Israel, those in power who have lost sight of what really matters.  Jesus’ followers, those who believe in the “way of Love”, were also Jewish, and he is describing their relationship to him and his relationship to God, and by extension to us. He says “the works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.”
One miracle of our relationship with Jesus is that we ordinary disciples have the same “power of works” that Jesus had.
An example is found in today’s first lesson. It is from The Acts of the Apostles. Christian tradition holds that the book of Acts was written by Luke. Luke was a companion of Paul; he was a historian an evangelist and perhaps the most literary of the NT writers. He was also a physician, and because of this, I think he might have been more knowledgeable of the affairs of ordinary disciples like us. The story in Chapter 9, set in Joppa features a miracle wrought by an ordinary man, a disciple of Jesus, like all of us.
Tabitha, called Dorcas, was a good woman, one filled with compassion, generosity and talent. One clue to her special status is that she was given a second name. Remember that Jesus changed Simon’s name to Cephas (Aramaic for rock) or Peter (Greek for rock). The disciple Mary was called Magdaline, perhaps to distinguish her by the city she may have come from (Magdala), equally likely is that it refers to the Hebrew translation of the word which is tower or stronghold. Mary, the devoted disciple who supported Jesus throughout his life and witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection, Mary the Tower.
Back to Tabitha called Dorcas, Dorcas is a Greek word meaning gazelle. In the bible gazelles symbolize beauty, grace, swiftness and love. Tabitha was a beloved disciple. The followers of Jesus in Joppa, knew that Peter, the rock, was nearby so they sent for him, he came, he went alone to Tabitha, he prayed, he gave her his hand and helped her up. This was a miracle wrought by an ordinary human, quite different from Jesus filling the fishing nets, and other post resurrection appearances, not to mention the many miracles and signs Jesus performed in his earthly life.
How can we become disciples like Peter? Being “dead” in this life is not an uncommon phenomenon; if you are grieving, frightened, traumatized or persecuted, you can feel like you are walking through a valley of death. If you are hungry, cold or lonely, life can feel as heavy as death.
In this life, in these uncertain and difficult times, we are called by Jesus to follow Pater’s example. Peter first became present to Tabitha, then he prayed, then he reached out and raised her up. “Tabitha cum” get up.
We should not be afraid to follow Peter’s example, in prayer, in presence and in healing for those who are walking through a dark valley.
We are all praying for miracles big and small these days: we pray for health in body, mind and spirit, we pray for compassionate leaders, for public policy changes which lean toward justice and equity in this difficult time. There are small miracles too; sharing a hot meal, a kind word, being an abiding presence in the face of loneliness; these are all ordinary every day miracles.
Today’s lessons speak to all of us present- day disciples at Saints James and Andrew, we are made for this. These stories remind us that we have healing power. It’s in our DNA.  Follow Jesus, follow Peter, follow Tabitha, and remember that goodness and mercy will  follow us, it’s a promise. May our days be filled with ordinary miracles, given and received. Amen

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