You Will Walk
A Homily for the 19th Sunday After Trinity
The Rev. Marq Toombs
In my reading this week I came across a story about a man who went to a Charismatic church to hear a word from the Lord. During the altar call the pastor came over to the man and said, "You Will Walk Today!" The man was taken aback. He whispered to the pastor, “I’m not paralyzed.” But the music was loud, so the pastor repeated his word again with more enthusiasm. "YOU WILL WALK TODAY!" The man stood up and said, “But I’m not paralyzed!” The pastor shrugged and moved on. After that awkward exchange the man could hardly wait for the service to end. As soon as it did he made a mad dash to the parking lot — where he discovered that his car was gone! And he remembered the pastor’s word: "You Will Walk Today!”
That is my message to you in this homily. Fear not – your cars are safe and secure in the parking lot. Nevertheless, you will walk today: no longer as slaves of Pharaoh, but as servants of Christ. No longer as paralytics lying helplessly in your sins, but as participants of grace living joyfully in the Spirit. You will walk today, no longer as broken images in the weakness of Adam, but as beautiful icons in the strength of Jesus Christ.
When Shannon and I were students we lived in Mexico City for a year or so. We learned many things about life, love, and the Lord. We also learned Spanish. One of my favorite sayings was “Si, se puede: Querer es poder.” You can do it: to want is to be able. That expression was intended to encourage people to press on and keep going and not give up. But it didn’t always work. One day Shannon and I were hiking up the side of a volcano with some friends not far from Mexico City. The air was thin, the ash was thick, the sun was hot, the grass was tall. Shannon started to lag behind, so I decided to motivate her with those inspirational Spanish words. “Si, se puede! Querer es poder!”
I can’t repeat what her expression communicated. But I can say that if looks could kill, I would not be standing here right now. Here’s the truth of the matter: just because you want to does not always mean you are able to. How many times have you wanted to quit a habit, exercise more, change jobs, start a new hobby, go on a pilgrimage, but you just can’t seem to do it? Why? Sometimes you are just unable, not unwilling. Sometimes the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Sometimes you need help to do the things that you are not able to do on your own. Sometimes you need family and friends to pick you up and carry you. To believe for you when you are not able to believe for yourself. To take you to Jesus when you cannot take yourself to him.
The Collect reminds us of two profound gospel truths: One, God helps those who cannot help themselves. Two, God helps those who can help themselves with his help. These truths complement each other. How? The first part of the Collect is a confession: O God, without thee we are not able to please thee. The second part is a petition: mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts. The confession is not about our total depravity. That would merely be an excuse. The confession is about our personal inability and necessity. We acknowledge our desperate condition and our dire need of God.
As the children of Israel were not able to escape the house of slavery without Yahweh’s presence and power; as the paralytic was not able to overcome his own sickness and weakness without Jesus, so we are not able to change our hearts or walk in God’s ways or please him without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Without the Lord and Giver of Life pulsating in our heart and soul, we are only able to stumble in darkness, misuse our bodies and mistreat each other; to waste our lives, and wreck the world with our wicked thoughts, words, and deeds. Sin paralyzes us and prevents us pleasing God.
So, this confession is a good start but we must go farther. Confession must be followed by Petition. The petition is not about shirking or avoiding personal responsibility. We are not asking God’s sovereignty to take away our moral responsibility. Rather we are asking God to help us fulfill our duties. Why? So that we may be able to participate in God’s life and follow his ways by his Spirit. Thus we echo Saint Augustine who prayed: Command what thy will, and will what thou commandest. In other words, show us the way; and give us the help to walk in it so that we may please you.
As Yahweh delivered the children of Israel on Eagle’s wings, and directed them through the wasteland by his Spirit, and ruled their hearts by his law; as Jesus commanded the paralytic to relieve the burden of his friends by taking up his mat and walking home, so Christ our Savior disciples us to stop walking in the old ways of sin that darken our minds and blind our eyes and harden our hearts and paralyze our souls – and to start walking in the new ways of the Spirit in the transcendent virtues of truth, beauty, and goodness. To use our hearts and our hands, our lips and our lives, our motives and our mouths, to love God with our whole person and to love our neighbor as ourselves. To forgive those who trespass against us just as we have been forgiven our trespasses against our Father.
The story of the paralyzed man shows us a vital truth of the gospel that is easy to miss if we blink or look away. Jesus forgave the man’s sins and – and – he sent him forward from death to life. Here we see a beautiful and wonderful picture of the gospel: the forgiveness of sins must be followed by the forsaking of sins. Christ’s declaration of righteousness must be followed by our demonstration of his righteousness. Absolution of sins must be followed by Amendment of Life. At some point, after you come to Jesus, you must get off your couch, take up your cross, and make your way home. You must leave your weakness and sickness with Jesus and go your way in the healing and strength of Jesus. You must go away from the World, the flesh, and the Devil, and go to the Church, the Household of God. Forget what is behind and forge ahead to what is to come.
In Christ, we who were once sick, weak, numb, or dead in our sins, are being transfigured from one degree of glory to another: changed, healed, strengthened, and raised to life. We who once tilted towards Hell as prisoners of sin, now travel as pilgrims of Christ towards Heaven. This transfiguration of life starts with Baptism. In baptism you take off the fig leaves and filthy rags of the old man Adam and you put on the faithful robes of the new man Jesus Christ. This transfiguration of life continues with the Eucharist. Here we take our places at the Lord’s Table among the saints, and mighty men, and heroes of the faith by invitation of the King. Perhaps you feel less like a mighty man and more like Mephibosheth, who was broken, crippled, disabled. Either way, we draw near by faith, to partake of this Heavenly Feast of the King to participate in his Real Presence. His Body and Blood transfigure our weakness to strength, our sickness to health, our shame to glory, our paralysis to praxis and praise. His Grace is enough for you, because his power is made perfect in your weakness.
Will you walk today?
If you turn away from the sins that paralyze your heart, and darken your mind, and numb your soul, You will walk today!
If you trust and obey the Savior who sets you free and gives you strength, You will walk today!
If you get up, and come to the altar, and partake of this life-giving food and drink, You will walk today!
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
