This week 7 of us went to the Paragon Theater in Fredericksburg to see “A Case for Love”. This movie was 3+ years in the making by an Episcopalian film maker and is based on Bishop Caurry’s “Way of Love” concept that goes back to 2018.
The movie spotlighted 13 stories involving unselfish love plus many more “man on the street” questions involved the Love question. A number of prominent individuals were also spotlighted including Episcopalians, Bishop Curry, Senator Danforth and Al Roker.
It was inspiring! The group that made the film has challenged in the next 30 days to journal us and extend the “Way of Love” for lives. A link for the journal is here. PDF, Word and Google docs.
The church has taken a variation of this and designated 2024 as the year we are to “Walk in Love. ”
Each season will have a particular focus. The focus of the Advent and Christmas season will be Walk to the Manger. The season after The Epiphany where we are now will be Walk in the Light.
How do we “Walk in the Light” ? The answer has much to do with concept of “Way of Love.” This involves treating others with kindness and respect and have a sense of compassion for others situations. We should serve others by volunteering, helping those in need, and living a life of service. It is also involved in not hiding the truth and being honest with others even when it hurts.
In Mark’s Gospel this week Jesus has to confront a demon inside of a man. This is the first healing story and for Mark the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. The demon knows exactly who Jesus is – “the Holy One of God.”
What strikes the crowd about Jesus’ teaching is that he does it “with authority,” speaking in his own voice rather than citing other authorities. In Mark and elsewhere, Jesus often references both scripture and tradition — but not here at the very outset, a vivid signal of his distinctive prophetic standing and power. For Mark, when Jesus speaks, we hear God’s voice; and when Jesus acts, we see God’s action in the world. He definitely speaks with authority and with God’s light. In this sense, his teaching is indistinguishable from his mission, and from who he is.
We don’t know the details of the demon but it destroyed his personality, rendered him an outcast, unclean, and unable to live with his family. Jesus confronts this unclean spirit directly with the simple words: “Be still. Come out from him.”
Part of “Walking in the Light” is the the requirement on us to confront those in our time with demons. We have many more demons in our time. Think of how addiction overwhelms individuals and families; how racism and white supremacy shape-shift over time; how anger consumes; how envy devours; or how all of us, even against our will, how we are complicit in creating the blanket of CO2 and other gasess overheating the planet (2023 set the record for the hottest global year on record). Demons are diffcult to isolate and overcome. We have work together in many situations to do this.