August 17, 2014 - The Rev. Kimberly Reinholz

August 17, 2014

The Rev. Kimberly Reinholz
Cathedral Church of the Nativity

Proper 15 A

What would I do if Audrey, my little 6 month old baby, Audrey, were tormented by a demon?  Anything

Would I seek out any and all help I could for her?  Yes

Would I yell after my sworn enemy in hopes that it would do some good?  Yes

Would I suffer insults?  Yes

Would I tolerate being called less than a dog?   Yes

What wouldn’t I do for my child? …

That was supposed to be a rhetorical question…

BUT I would do anything in my power for my child, as I would hope all of us who are parents would. 

This is exactly where the Canaanite woman stands—her daughter is tormented by a demon—it doesn’t matter what kind of demon it is, what matters is that this child is tortured, this child is suffering and as a parent this woman is willing to do ANYTHING to ease her child’s predicament, even reach out to a complete stranger, a stranger of an enemy tribe, to relieve the suffering of her daughter.

The question of demonic possession is an interesting one—and countless Biblical scholars have extrapolated that the torment facing the little girl might be a physical illness like epilepsy or another seizure disorder, it might be a psychological condition like schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder formerly called multiple personality disorder, it might be a combination of physical and psychological causes, and it might be an actual honest to goodness evil spirit dwelling in the body of this child. 

But to be honest, it doesn’t really matter what the condition is that afflicts this child.  What really matters is how her mother’s action of calling out to Jesus in despair lead to healing by faith. 

Let me clarify—

I am not condoning crying to the Lord in the quiet of your room lamenting and wailing as the primary mode of treatment for mental illness or physical ailments.

Prayer can move mountains, as my Grandfather is fond of saying,

but you have to open your eyes to see the shovel that has been provided. 

But there is a time and a place for prayer-

and the time is always and the place is everywhere. 

As Christians we are invited into a faithful relationship with God. 

As Christians we are expected to pray in various ways—

with prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, petition and supplication. 

Our Book of Common Prayer is filled with lovely collects and versicles and responses some of which have been prayed by generations of Anglicans and Episcopalians throughout the world. 

Our liturgical worship is the work of the people and it is truly a place where we can bear our souls to the Most High.

But often times we forget that in addition to our common prayer we also need to pray in private. 

At times we may need to weep and wail and mourn at the feet of a God who appears to might as well be our enemy. 

Especially when we face demons and those we love face demons we need to trust completely in God, putting aside those things we value our pride, vanity and well-being and ask God to intercede on the behalf of those we love, and, if we can get out of our own way, ourselves.

This week we lost one of the most vibrant comedic voices of this (and possibly any) generation, with the death of Robin Williams by suicide.  It was no secret that he wrestled with the demons of addiction, anxiety, and depression, because he used these struggles as fodder for his comedy.  In a recent HBO special (Weapons of Self Destruction) Williams joked about how when someone is an alcoholic the thought of having a drink could be thought of like someone standing on top of a very tall building, looking over the side and thinking, “Jump. You can make it.” 

For any one suffering from depression, anxiety or any other mental illness life is a constant struggle with that inner voice, that demon who won’t leave you alone.  It’s more than the little angel or devil that pops up on Daffy Duck’s shoulder in old Warner Brother’s cartoons. 

It’s constant, it’s debilitating, it’s torturous living with demons.  For those who are experiencing it as well as those who witness it tortured wrestling with demons is mentally, physically and spiritually exhausting. This is the reason that programs like Alanon, Alateen and similar programs exist for family members of addicts and alcoholics.  12 Step Groups are designed to help not only those who suffer directly but also those who suffer indirectly. 

Everyone who lives with addition needs to acknowledge that demons take control of our lives at times.  I speak from personal experience.  I am the granddaughter of an alcoholic. I share this with my grandfather, Jack’s, permission.  Even though he has been sober for more than 30 years every day remains a struggle.  Every day he has to remind himself of the steps which have formed the bedrock of his faith,

admitting that he is powerless over his addiction,

coming to believe that a Power greater than himself could restore his sanity

and turning his will toward God as he understood Him. 

This is a formidable feat of faith and submission to God. For him the 12 steps with meetings and family support have worked. I know this is not the case for everyone. 

Even more formidable than my grandfather’s faith was the faith of my Grandmother, Clara.  She was the one who witnessed firsthand Jack’s demons destroying his life.  She was the one who saw what it was doing to his body, mind, spirit and all of those who loved him.  It was my grandmother who made him go to rehab the first and last time and all the times in between.  It was my grandmother who joined Alanon essentially crying out for God to save her husband, her marriage, and her family.  It is my grandmother’s voice which I give to the Canaanite woman in today’s Gospel.

The Canaanite Woman, my grandmother, and anyone who has watched a loved one suffer for any reason seems to have understandable reasons to be angry with God. 

How could a loving God let so much suffering exist in the world? 

Why would God do this to me?  

How long will you let my daughter, my husband, my beloved suffer, O Lord? 

It is easy to view God as an adversary when we are the witnesses to suffering and torture in those we love; when we are victims of violence and abuse ourselves; when the world around us seems to be going to hell in a hand basket.  But there is a reason that the story of the Canaanite woman is included in Scripture, and it is the same reason that those who assembled the canon also include the Book of Job, the Lamentations of Jeremiah and the Psalms in which the writer cries out to the Lord for deliverance from suffering, from persecution, from distress.

The reason is that people have wrestled with demons from the beginning.  These scriptures act as a reminder that we are not alone so long as we have faith, remain part of a community and use the tools which God has provided for our care. 

There is an old story that my grandfather tells that goes something like this: A man is on a deep sea fishing trip and he falls over board and be beings to cry out,” Lord, O Lord, help me.” Someone one the ship throws him a line and the man responds, “It’s okay the Lord’s got this.”

He cries out again “Lord, O Lord, help me.”  A crew member lowers a dingy and rows over to the man extending his hand.  The man responds again, “It’s okay the Lord’s got this.”  The crew member rows away. 

Finally the coast guard comes around as night is starting to fall, “Sir grab the ladder they call from the helicopter, Out of the darkness his now exhausted voice responds, “It’s okay the Lord’s got this.” 

The man drowns and goes to heaven, God asks him when he gets there- “What are you doing here?” The man says—“I prayed for you to save me and you let me drown, was all my faith in vain?” God answered, “I sent you a rope, a dingy and a helicopter, what more could you want?” 

The man said, “O that was you?”

When we are suffering or people we love are suffering we overlook the tools which God has provided.  We forget that there are other people out there who have been where we are, that there are professionals like counselors, doctors and clergy who are trained to help us care for our minds bodies and spirits.  We neglect to use the gifts that God has given us and we suffer and cry out to the Lord for deliverance.

When we are in pain or distress we look for the easiest answers, and often times forget that our prayers are answered in a variety of ways.  Just because what we want and expect is that the final response that Jesus gave to the Canaanite woman—that her faith has healed her daughter—we think that all we have to do is pray. If we just cry out to God for help, then he will give us exactly what we ask for, when we ask for it, and as we expect the answer to come. 

But that is not what the Gospel today teaches, instead it teaches that help comes in unexpected places, even at the hands of a sworn enemy.  God answers prayers, God provides for the faithful.  We only have to keep our eyes open and remember that while we are praying for ourselves and our loved ones who are dancing with demons that the kind of prayer and the kind of faith that is the most effective is not too proud to beg, not too vain to be belittled, and not so stubborn as to not accept help even from an enemy. 

What would you be willing to do to save someone you love?  If the answer is Anything—then keep praying and use the tools which God has provided.   Amen.