"On the Edge"

 

 

While traveling separately through the countryside late one afternoon, a Hindu, a Rabbi, and a Critic were caught in the same area by a terrific thunderstorm. They sought shelter at a nearby farmhouse.  “That storm will be raging for hours,’ the farmer told them. “You’d better stay here for the night. The problem is, there’s only room enough for two of you. One of you’ll have to sleep in the barn.”

“I’ll be the one,” said the Hindu.  “A little hardship is nothing to me.” He went out to the barn.  A few minutes later there was a knock on the door.  It was the Hindu.  “I’m sorry.” He told the others, “but there is a cow in the barn.  According to my religion, cows are sacred, and one must not intrude into their space.”

“Don’t worry,” said the Rabbi.  “Make yourself comfortable here.  I’ll go to sleep in the barn.” He went out to the barn.  A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. It was the Rabbi.  “I hate to be a bother,” he said, “but there is a pig in the barn.  I wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing my sleeping quarters with a pig.”

“Oh, all right,” said the Critic.  “I will go sleep in the barn.” He went out to the barn. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. It was the cow and the pig. (Author Unknown)

In our Gospel today, Jesus did not run away from the sharp criticism of the townspeople.  In fact, he stood his ground – he was up to his heart-space filled with Mission energy and ready to proclaim that the Reign of God goes beyond the boundaries and borders of traditions. There is amazement at first with the grace and beauty of his words. Jesus will do something unheard of in his culture – he will direct his ministry even to the Gentiles. Then the crowd becomes easily twisted with rage and rejection. The angered mob, no longer neighborly, leads him out of the synagogue, to the top of the hill and to the brink of the precipice.  But he, effortlessly, passes through this “perfect storm” of rejection. There is “no return of violence for violence. Soundlessly . . . divine freedom walks right though the seething mob, its irresistible force bound by nothing on earth. . .”