The United Methodist Women of the church where I grew up had three or four circles named after women in the Bible. Dorcas was one of them. I didn’t know who Dorcas was at the time, but now I see that the name aptly described the kind of women who made up that circle. This woman called Dorcas was “devoted to good works and acts of charity.” All of us probably knows at least one such woman; strong, compassionate and caring – the kind the church depends upon to keep things going. Like Marmee in Little Women, she provides food and clothing to the poor and sick in her community. Like Dorothy Day she is bold enough to invite the poor into her own dwelling, and to speak out in society, raising questions about the circumstances that lead to such poverty. She’s the one who organizes the baby showers for the new mothers. She knits prayer shawls, and makes beanbags to sooth aching muscles, and makes up boxes of cookies to mail to the college students on Valentine’s Day. She collects money for blankets and prepares the fellowship meals, which serve to knit the community of the church together. She stops to visit the lonely, sends cards, or calls regularly on the phone making sure they know that they are loved and appreciated.
The name Dorcas in Greek, and Tabitha in Aramaic, means gazelle. And like a gazelle Tabitha must have moved quickly, able to multi task. Like gazelles, Tabitha did not try to live alone, but made her home in her community, becoming an integral strand in the fabric.
So this story starts out with a very familiar character in the church. And when Tabitha suddenly became ill and died we aren’t too surprised, for we all have been part of that scene too. When one of our number becomes ill and dies we band together, offer soups and casseroles. Somebody calls the minister. We see that the body of the one we love is washed and prepared for burial, and we gather to remember all that he or she has meant to us. When Peter, who was nearby, heard what had happened to this sister disciple he made his way to Joppa. The congregation led him to the room where Tabitha was laid out, and they told stories through their tears of how much this woman had meant to them. They had even brought samples of her fine handiwork to show.
But then the unusual happened. Rather than launching into the funeral service, Peter asks all of the people to leave the room. Then he knelt down to pray. Upon feeling the assurance from God that Tabitha’s life would be restored he said to the body, “Tabitha, get up.” And miraculously she opened he eyes and when she saw Peter, she sat up! He gave her his hand an helped her up and then called the congregation, the widows and other saints there and presented her to be alive.
This is a fitting story of resurrection for this season of Easter. It shows that not only Jesus Christ, but others, through his power, can be brought back to life from death. Tabitha can be numbered along with Lazarus and Jairus’ daughter as one who had her life restored. When we imagine being part of her community, we look at Tabitha with astonishment and praise God for such a blessing. Hallelujah.
Yet the story is also disturbing. For if a pastor can raise Tabitha from the dead through prayer in Jesus’ name, why is it that so many of the equally faithful, strong, compassionate and caring members of the Dorcas circle of Cicero UMC have died and been buried? Why have we at Wesley had to say farewell to our beloved sisters Joan and Isabelle in recent months? And even though Mildred lived well beyond 100, even she eventually had to face death as well. As a pastor, stories of resurrection in this life are disturbing because I have never dared to do what Peter did. Surely it would be cruel to tell a person or their loved ones only to believe and God will definitely grant their desire to live on in this world. What if I raised someone’s hopes and they were then not met? When I was being trained in pastoral care I was taught to be good listeners, to help people be at peace with mortality, and trust that God was as much with them in death as in life, but we were not coached to pray like Peter, for the dead to return to life.
But I have heard stories of some, who like Tabitha, have returned from the dead; or as we sometimes call it, they had “near death experiences.” In the early days of Camp Farthest Out the founder Glenn Clark, and some of the other leaders, like Agnes Sanford, were well known for the effectiveness of their prayers for healing. I have been told that when Agnes was scheduled to speak at a camp the leaders had to keep it a secret, otherwise multitudes would flock there just to be healed and the camp would be greatly disrupted. It seems good to me to read their books more carefully, and follow the methods of prayer, which worked for them. It seems good to me that we are spending some weeks together studying healing in Bible study.
But even Sanford has said that, “it is not the duty of every Christian to pray for everyone. Our prayers will help some and will not help others, for reasons beyond our understanding or control. Only the Holy Spirit can safely direct our healing power.” And healing is a spiritual gift, given more generously to some than to the rest of us. Furthermore, the healing flows through different people in different ways. Peter was able to pray and say “Tabitha, get up!” and she was made well. Tabitha’s method of healing, however, was in her constant, tireless caring for others in the community.
The last part of today’s scripture gives me some insight into the raising of Tabitha. After Peter called the congregation and showed Tabitha to be alive, the miracle became known throughout the town and many believed in the Lord. You see, raising a dead person to life, or any other kind of miraculous healing is not an end to itself. It is a means to God’s greater purpose of drawing others into relationship with him. In the case of the people of Joppa, folks were drawn to faith through hearing that this good, strong, compassionate woman who had done so much for the community had been given new life through the power of the risen Lord. In other times and places people have been drawn to faith in Jesus through the dignified life and peaceful and death of a believer like Mildred Buck, and in yet other times and places people have been drawn into the folds of the church through the witness of those who have died as martyrs in Jesus’ name.
Our very life is a gift from God, and it’s ultimate purpose is to give glory to God – in our living and in our dying; at times when miracles occur, and in our ordinary everyday good works and charity. As we turn to a time of prayer let us open ourselves to being a channel of healing for others, and a recipient of healing ourselves. And in all may we give God the glory and praise.
Agnes Sanford, The Healing Light, McAlister Park; St. Paul, 1947. p. 105
No comments:
Post a Comment