The Second Sunday after Pentecost - Rev. Aimee Baxter

 When I was four or five years old, my parents took me to Disney World. We embarked on the 3D Snow White ride. We were handed a pair of glasses – the kind that were white and one lens was red and the other blue. My head was too small to keep the glasses on, so my mom pinned them to my hair with bobby pins.

The ride was going well until we got to the part with the witch. She pointed her finger at us and sneered. In 3D! I proceeded to place my hands on my ears and start shouting, “Take my glasses off!”

My mom, through stifled laughter, reached over and took them off and then reminded me I could just simply close my eyes.

Sometimes, I feel like that little girl who gets so overwhelmed by the world, that I don’t really know how to respond appropriately. I freeze and forget my own power to change the situation.

My hunch is that I am not alone. We are all living with the daily onslaught of so many things that we were never meant to take on. Mass shootings (most recently at a potluck for one of our sister churches), wars, a never-ending pandemic, political debates. I could keep going.

Nadia Bolz-Weber recently reminded me of this truth in response to the heaviness of the world. She said, “If your circuits are overwhelmed there’s a reason and the reason isn’t because you are heartless, it’s because there is not a human heart on this planet that can bear all of what is happening right now.”

Our gospel story shows us a situation where Jesus meets someone who is going through a lot. Luke tells us this man isn’t clothed properly and lives among the tombs. He is regularly overcome with demons and continually breaks the shackles placed on him. He is clearly a troubled soul based on the information we are given.

This story is a bit bizarre. There are lots of theories about Legion, demons and these pigs. Let me see if I can break it down a bit.

Jesus asks the man his name and he tells him, Legion. Legion means ‘many’ and in the context of the Roman empire means about 5,000 soldiers.

The early hearers of this story would know Legion has a direct correlation to the Roman Empire. You could argue that Jesus is making it very clear in this story the way he feels about how the empire treats its people. He casts that spirit into a bunch of pigs and throws them over a cliff.

Which brings us to the pigs. Let’s talk about them for a minute. Some people argue that these poor pigs didn’t deserve to take on these demons. It seems a bit inhumane to drive them off a cliff to free this man. There’s a moral question for sure. If this really happened, doesn’t seem like it’s in Jesus’ character. If this is more of an analogy or a parable, it’s certainly a weird one.

Then there are the demons. That’s a whole other topic. Some believe in the physical manifestation of demonic presence and others categorize demons as anything that has a stronghold on our lives. Regardless of how one might see it, we know from the Gospel reading that this man suffers from a multitude of them.

There are so many parts to this story that could bog us down. Just like legion, it’s a lot! But I think it’s most helpful for us to understand the point of the story by looking at what happens after these demons are gone.

Scripture tells us that the man is found at the feet of Jesus. After clearing all that stuff out of the way, the man was able to draw near. His ability to do that directly correlates to Jesus’ posture toward him.

Notice how Jesus treats the man. He doesn’t start preaching at him. Jesus doesn’t reprimand him. He doesn’t ask him how he got himself into this mess. He simply meets him where he is and gives him what he needs in the face of a very unusual request.

Much like my mother took my glasses off when it was all too much, Jesus shows compassion and frees this man from the burdens that are causing him such strife. The result is closeness to Jesus.

What a great example for us in the face of too much! When the magnitude of what we face in the world seems too much to bear, how do we get to the place where we can ask Jesus for exactly what we need no matter how ridiculous it sounds?

When we are wound so tight all our anxiety is spilling out in all the wrong places, what keeps us from drawing closer to the feet of Jesus?

There may be some things we need to cast off of a cliff, right? Expectations of ourselves and others, distractions from what really matters, divisions over politics or differences of opinion. Wouldn’t it be great if we could heap it on some pigs and be done with it?

We know that it isn’t that simple. It’s possible but odds are that’s not how we will find relief from what feels too heavy to bear.

A good starting place might be grace and mercy for each other and ourselves. Focusing on what matters most. Surrendering the need to be right. Slowing down and breathing a little more.

Nadia Bolz-Weber, who I mentioned earlier, wrote a prayer in the face of too much. I want to share parts of it with you.

Dear God,

It’s all a bit much right now. 

I don't want to feel numb but sometimes I do.

Except for when I’m having random level 9 responses to level 2 situations. I mean, it’s humbling to admit that yesterday I shouted (obscenities) at the guy with the painfully and unnecessarily loud muscle car in front of my apartment. Bless that guy, Lord.

Please just show me what is mine to do because otherwise I will feel horrible not doing everything or callus for just doing nothing. So, give me grace for myself and others.

Also, everyone is understaffed right now so grant me patience with every clerk and delivery driver and customer service rep. 

And when all I can do is stop during the day and place my hand on my heart and hold all these heavy realities up to you, may it count as prayer.

Help me to know when there is water in my bucket and which fire to throw it on, but also to know when to wait because I am on empty. Help me to trust that you will give me what I am to give away and to not feel like I must carry water for everyone else. 

I guess what I am saying Lord, is: please show us some mercy, and help us to show this same mercy to ourselves and others.  

Amen.