PASTORAL SERMON
The Seventh Sunday of Luke
By V. Rev. Timothy Baclig
November 8, 2020

Each of us not only personal material needs, but physical, emotional and spiritual needs. We
will soon begin preparing for the Feast of the Birth of our Lord when the church prescribes forty
days of abstinence, prayer and good works. She does this for a reason. It would help us to
understand that if we are to do what God asks of us in helping others, our doing so is not based
upon the abundance of things that we have or whether or not we have something to offer
others. The church’s call and discipline to pray, fast and do good works during advent is based
upon our own spiritual needs.

Even though we are blessed with much to be thankful for materially, each of us have personal
physical, emotional and spiritual needs. This is the subject that our Thursday evening adult
class. God created us as whole persons. Good mental health is attending to our inner life. That
inner life is intricately linked to our physical and mental health. We easily become fragmented as
persons in our day. When we need physical care—we go to the doctor. When we need
psychological care—we seek a counselor or therapist. Then, when we need to build a
relationship with God—we go to church.

Moreover, for some, physical needs might be also be visible, especially if we are sick or have a
disability, for others a conversation or facial expression might reveal an emotional need. But
deep down inside of each of us are things we may not even speak about, or might have a very
difficult time putting into words. That is what pertains to our “inner life” that defines our spiritual
needs.

The daughter of Jarius in spoken of in today’s Gospel lesson was an only child, 12 years of age,
and dying. The woman with the hemorrhage who, in a crowd of people, touched the hem of
Jesus’ garment was desperate for healing. The needs of the woman and the daughter of Jarius
were obviously physical. In both cases, their condition personally affected their emotional and
spiritual life along with the lives of their loved ones and who knew them.

If a person’s physical health is serious, especially if it becomes a major drain to one’s resources
and severely affects the lives of the members of their family, it is not uncommon for life to be
largely defined by their physical condition; it dominates a personal conversation. Today, persons
are often seen and identified not for who they truly are: men, women and children created in the
image of God, but for what they may physically become: sick, unemployed, an addict, or perhaps: frail, strong, or attractive.

God, however, sees and knows us as persons. He loves us equally as His children as you and I
would our own son or daughter. His supreme sacrifice for us was for that very reason: We are
His own, called to be the inheritors of all that He has desired for us; regardless of whether we
are old, young, rich, poor, healthy, or sick. We are all His children, created in His image to
become the full inheritors as members of His Kingdom.

We are known, loved, saved and redeemed by a God of love who came to save and heal us
from every infirmity, but who also calls to be loving, His co-workers, His helpers and ministers
and His fellow servants.

Prayer
O Christ, our God, the giver of every good and perfect gift: grant that we may in fear and
love draw near to Thee and receive the much needed healing from all of our infirmities. Forgive
us our sins and strengthen us for Thy service that we may glorify Thee in every word and deed;
for Thou art the God of love and of mercy and unto Thee do we ascribe glory together with Thy
Father who is from everlasting, and Thy life-giving Spirit; now and ever and unto ages of ages.
A-men.