A Miraculous Resurrection Story
Sometimes we are graced to see a transformation in a person
that rises to the level where the words “miraculous” and “resurrection” seem
accurate in description. We catch a
glimpse of the fullness of God’s Kingdom for which we hope and by which we offer hospitality.
In the Gospel of Mark the story
begins, “They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the
Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the
boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, and
he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore,
even with a chain… no one was strong enough to subdue him. Constantly, night
and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing
himself with stones” (Mark 5:1-5).
This could have been written about
Sherri (not her real name). Though she
was a regular guest at Manna House, and could restrain herself for a short time
to get coffee or a shower, she mostly moved about the streets completely unrestrained, screaming,
and wildly gesticulating. There was a wild
and vacant stare in her eyes. Her
clothes were unkempt, and she was often barefoot from losing her shoes. Surely to see her was to see her in the state of being cursed
and crucified, as cursed and as crucified as Jesus when he was hung upon a tree
(Deuteronomy 21:22-23, Galatians 3:13).
Then something happened, and
Tuesday we lived into this Gospel passage of miracle and resurrection as we saw Sherri at
Manna House: “They came to Jesus and observed
the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in
his right mind, the very man who had had the ‘legion’” (Mark 5:15 ).
Sherri came to Manna House for
coffee and a shower and change of clothes, like she has done so many other times. But now she had on slightly worn but good and
clean clothing, including comfortable shoes.
Her eyes were bright, and welcoming.
She spoke softly and laughed easily as Ann and Kathleen worked with her
helping her select new (gently used) clothing to change into after showering. Sherri had been healed. Sherri was now housed, we learned, and she
was starting to access the mental health care she needed.
The transformation was miraculous. Resurrection was evident. Her oppression had been overthrown, and she
was released into her humanity and dignity, which had for so long been denied.
There is a an organization in Memphis
that works with Sherri and others like her.
It has the completely accurate name of “Friends for Life." Manna
House was the place where Sherri was welcomed even as she was cursed and
crucified, and then "Friends for Life" welcomed
her further, into housing, into mental health care, into community. "Friends for Life" had
acted like Jesus who said, “Come out of this person you unclean spirit” (Mark
5:8). And truly this demon’s name was “Legion”—the
organized systemic evil of an empire that is death-dealing, that oppresses, curses,
and crucifies the poor, the mentally ill, and those living among the tombs and
mountains of homelessness.
Thanks be to God for "Friends for Life" (and another organization that does very similar work, "Outreach, Housing and Community") that resists those ways of Legion. Thanks be to God for their working of
miracles. Thanks be to God for Sherri,
resurrected! Now if only the demons of Legion,
poverty, racism, homelessness, lack of health care—the system that curses and
crucifies—would go away completely into the sea! (Mark 5:13 )
We live and work toward that Kingdom
of God
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