The Rev. Kim Gilliland

1August 17, 2014 Pentecost 9 / Proper 14 The Rev. Kim Gilliland

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 133 Matthew 15:21-28

“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Matthew 15:27 (NIV)

MAKING THE SMALL THINGS COUNT

ROBIN WILLIAMS

I think all of us were saddened this week by the death and apparent suicide of Robin Williams. My generation remembers him bursting onto small screen in the TV sitcom Mork and Mindy. It ran for four years from 1978 to 1982 and brought smiles to a lot of people in that time. Many people forget that Mork and Mindy was actually a spin off from Happy Days where Mork appeared in one episode and attempted to abduct Richie Cunningham and take him back to Ork as a human specimen. But that plan was foiled by Fonzie who saved the day. And if you’re not at least 50 right now then, shuzbot, none of this makes any sense to you. But if you’re of my generation, it is all abundantly clear. Nano nano.

Robin Williams went on from there to become a well known comedian and dramatic actor, probably best know for movies such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Good Will Hunting, Good Morning, Vietnam, and Dead Poets Society. He made us laugh and he made us cry. In my humble estimation he was a comedic genius who represented the best of the entertainment industry which is often lacking in people of good character.

Why Robin Williams killed himself is anyone’s guess but he was honest about his long struggle with addictions and depression. Those two things often go together and those who suffer from them often face a very difficult uphill battle to wholeness and peace.

Robin Williams’ death this week caused quite a stir of activity on the Internet about depression, suicide and the causes and treatment of it. Some of what I read was helpful and insightful. Other stuff was just plain ignorant and misinformed. All of it has made me think. As I read through it, I came to the realization that the one thing that no one was talking about was the impact of faith in this discussion. That’s unfortunate because faith is a key aspect of well being and it is clear that faith can play an important and crucial role in the treatment of depression and the prevention page . of suicide.

I want to warn you that this is going to be a hard message but it is also going to be an honest and timely one. I also want to be honest about myself. Many of you - but not all - know that I have suffered from my own demons. Thirty years in the military and civilian ministry have left me PTSD like symptoms which rear their ugly heads from time to time. Periodic severe depression is one of the toughest symptoms that I face. You may not see it because I’ve learned how to hide it fairly effectively. But my family knows when I slip into depression and they feel the negative affects of it when I am not easy to live with. But they have stood by me and provided the safe place where I have been able to recover and get back on my feet again. I can’t thank them enough.

IGNORING THE DEMONS

So, where does faith fit into all of this? It begins with a Canaanite woman who lived in the area of Tyre and Sidon. One day she heard that Jesus was in the area and she went to him with a concern: “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.”

Demon possession. What’s that all about? Back in those days, it represented a whole range of unexplained phenomenon. Epilepsy and other seizure disorders were considered to be demonic in origin. Deafness and blindness also fell into this category. Mental illness was usually attributed to demonic possession. That would include what we now call depression, anxiety disorders, bi-polar issues and any one of a host of other concerns.

Please note that I am not saying that all psychological orders are the result of demonic possession. I’m just sharing with you the viewpoint of the people how lived in Israel 2,000 years ago. There are all sorts of causes of mental illness from genetics and chemical imbalances to the environment, nutrition and lifestyles. But I am also not ruling out demons as the cause of such things. I think they too are real and that spiritual factors can have a profound affect on our psychological and emotional well being.

Robin Williams had demons to deal with in his life. Depression was certainly one of them. The Canaanite woman who approached Jesus had to deal with her demons as well. The interesting thing about this story is that the woman is not specific about what the symptoms that the daughter was suffering. That means that we can insert anything we want and today we’re going to insert the word depression. Let’s say that the demon who was afflicting the daughter was the demon of depression. The woman’s daughter was depressed and her mother, more than anything, wanted her to get better. That’s why she went to Jesus. page . What did he do? Initially, he ignored her. Why? Because she was not Jewish and he had already decided that this early in his ministry, he was only working with the Jewish people. But the woman persisted. And because of her persistence the disciples stepped in and suggested to Jesus that he send her away. They didn’t want to deal with her. They didn’t think it was their concern and they would have been quite happy if she had just gone away.

I want to tell you that people who suffer from severe depression experience this all the time. Times get tough. Life gets dark. The happy bubbly care free person disappears and is replaced by a someone who is quiet, sad, forlorn and often very needy. And far too often the very people that person thought he or she could count on turn their backs and walk away.

I can not tell you how hard that is. You think someone is a friend. You think someone has your back. You think they will be there for you because you were there for them. But when you need them the most, they just don’t want to deal with you or your problems. That’s a very lonely and devastating experience for someone who is already down and out.

I am blessed with people in this church community who were that for me. I am blessed with good friends who supported me. And I am truly blessed with a family who never gave up on me. Not everyone is so blessed and that is why so many people who are depressed go home, lock the doors, close the curtains and sit by themselves in the dark just wondering when - or if - it will ever get better. That’s an awful place to be.

The disciples were not unusual in their desire to rid themselves of this woman. In many ways they were typical. There are lot of people just like them out there today. Don’t let that person be you.

ENGAGING THE CANAANITE WOMAN

What about Jesus? Was he like that? No, he wasn’t. Yes, he initially ignored the woman but then he took a second look and realized that she had real need. That’s when he began to engage her and discover what she was really after. People who suffer from mental illness often have a difficult time expressing themselves to others. That’s because if you’ve never been in that pit, it is very difficult to understand where someone else is coming from. It is tough to describe that which is almost indescribable. Words cannot adequately express the crazy feelings and thoughts that bombard the mind of someone who is severely depressed. There is a despair and a sense of hopelessness that is almost overwhelming.

page . Despite that, when the disciples rejected the woman and just wanted her to go away, Jesus engaged her. He listened as she told him about her daughter. The only words we have in Matthew’s gospel are very general and yet they say it all. She described her need in just three words. In Matthew 15:25 (NIV) she said, “Lord, help me!” Lord, help me. It’s interesting that she didn’t even know what she needed. All she knew was that she needed help. She could no longer do this on her own. She needed someone to help her with her desperate situation.

This is where I want to talk to those who suffer from mental illnesses and I am well aware that that includes some of you. I know how much it hurts. I know how much you feel like a failure and how useless and hopeless it can all seem. But you also have a responsibility to reach out and let others know that you need them. Don’t be afraid, like the Canaanite woman, to say, “Help me. I need someone to help me to climb out of this pit of despair. I’ve tried to do it on my own but I can’t. So please care for me enough to walk with me through this valley of darkness until we reach the other side. Please help me and let me know that I am not alone.”

Say that to your friends. Say it to your family. And by all means say it to God. I don’t know where I would be today without my faith. I don’t know where I would be without that assurance of God’s constant presence. And I know that when you’re in the pit, God can seem to be light years away. But he is not. He is there with you in the pit. You may not be able to feel him because you are so overwhelmed by other feelings that you can’t feel much of anything but I have learned that he is there. And he will never leave you. No one else in this world can make you that promise. No one else can be there for you every moment of every day. So don’t be afraid to say, “Lord, help me.”

THE CRUMBS

Then Jesus said something interesting. He reminded the woman that he had come initially for the Jews and that it was not yet his time to go to the non-Jews which were called Gentiles. He said it in Matthew 15:26 (NIV) like this: “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” He wasn’t saying that to in any way be derogatory. It was just an expression of the day to show that it wasn’t yet time for him to minister to Gentiles.

The woman’s answer, however, was very insightful and most profound. In Matthew 15:27 (NIV) she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” That response caused Jesus to do an about turn. Her faith moved him and he told her that her request would be granted.

There are two things I want to say about this. The first thing is what she asked for. She didn’t ask for much. All she asked for was crumbs: “Give me the crumbs page . from your table Lord and that will be good enough for me.” Crumbs. What kind of crumbs? Isn’t that pretty demeaning? No it’s not. It’s reality. People who suffer from mental illnesses like depression don’t ask much. They don’t need you to cure them. They don’t need you to heal them. That’s what the professionals do. All they really want you to do is be there.

What does that mean? It means first of all that you don’t abandon them. Let them know that someone cares. Give them a phone call from time to time. Go over for a visit and maybe take a snack with you because they may not have eaten all day. Take them out for coffee. Here’s a really good one: take the time to write them a short note of encouragement and drop it in the mail. That can be a huge surprise. You have no idea how many times they will read and re-read that note. That simple thing, that crumb, may just be the anchor that keeps them steady enough to get through another day.

It doesn’t take much to be a blessing to someone suffering from mental illness. But it takes something. Those little crumbs, those simple ordinary bits of human interaction can mean all the difference to someone whose feeling lost and alone.

The second thing that I want to say and maybe the most important part of this message is in Jesus’ final words to the woman. In Matthew 15:28 (NIV) he said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” Jesus told her that her request would be granted. and from that moment on, her daughter was healed.

Healing is a wonderful thing but what does it mean for someone with a mental illness to be healed? Physical ailments can often be fixed. Broken legs can be made to walk again. Cataracts can be removed so that eyes can see. Hearing aids can help ears to hear. But what does healing look like for someone with depression?

Depression is often a series of ups and downs. Sometimes you feel good but other times are very dark. It comes and goes and even when you’re feeling better, you always wonder when the darkness will come back again.

I was listening to the radio the day after Robin Williams died and there was an interview with Ray Nash. He’s a Canadian musician who is part of Bell Canada’s “Let’s Talk” campaign. That’s the one that includes events like Clara’s Big Ride with Clara Hughes. The goal is the increase awareness of mental illness and to keep people talking about it. The hope is that negative stigmas and stereotypes will disappear and people will be enabled to seek the help they so desperately need.

Ray Nash acknowledged that sometimes the pain of mental illness never completely goes away. But he also said something else that struck a chord with me and that I believe is true. He said that while the pain does not go away, neither does page . the strength. Isn’t that a great spin on this? Yes, the pain is real. Yes, the depression is ongoing. But so is the strength. So is your ability to fight through it with the help and support of others.

I liked what Ray Nash said. It was good to remember that the strength is there as well as the pain. But I think I would take the thought one step further and say that while the pain and the strength do not go away, neither does the faith. Faith is such a key element to the recovery of anyone who is going through periods of mental illnesses. Is it a fix all? No. Do Christians and other people of faith suffer from depression? Absolutely. But research also clearly shows that faith and religious practices can be key components to positive mental health and the ability to push through the tough times.

That’s an interesting fact in our increasingly secular world. I read a couple of articles this week about this, both by mental health professionals. One was by a doctor who saw matters of faith as irrelevant, maybe even harmful. He claimed that outdated superstitious ideas like God and heaven have no place in the modern treatment of mental illness and discussion of such things in therapy should be strictly taboo. The other doctor’s response was interesting. He said that he brings religious beliefs into therapy all the time. He does it for one simple reason. It helps and is one more effective tool in the process of bringing someone to mental wellness.

Remember the Canaanite woman’s request: “Lord, help me.” And Jesus did. He engaged her. He listened to her concerns. And then he commended her for her great faith. She believed that he could help her and her daughter. And at that moment her daughter was healed. The pain may never go away. But neither will the strength. And neither will the faith. How much faith is needed? Just a crumb. Just a little bit. A few chapters later in Matthew 17:20 (NIV) Jesus said how much faith is needed: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” All you need is faith like a mustard seed. Not very big. Not very much. Just a little. But even that little bit can make a huge difference.

Let’s not be afraid as Christians to talk about mental illness. As people of faith, let’s reach out to one another in love and support. Do those little things that will help each other to stay on an even keel. Know that just a little faith can go a long way in helping people who suffer from mental illness to get up and work through another day. And above all, don’t be afraid, like the Canaanite woman, to go to Jesus and say, “Lord, help me.”

page . page . PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Your Word is holy, O God, and your grace is sufficient for all things. How blessed we are to know you both personally and as a community of faith. You have given us our personal salvation as well as our communal mission to be your hands and feet in the world. We offer our thanks for all of our blessings. Grant us the wisdom to use our gifts for your glory.

We also give our thanks for the rain that has fallen this week to refresh the earth and make the crops grow. Certainly the rain and sunshine are both needed for the coming harvest and we are abundantly grateful that you meet these needs

We give thanks for another great experience with Vacation Bible School. Thank you for all of the people who helped out in various leadership roles. Thank you for the children who came and took part and the parents who brought them. We pray that young hearts will continue to be drawn toward you and your saving grace.

We remember this day those who are sick at home or in hospital. We continue to pray for Doug Montgomery, Ron Raymont, Dolly Hedge and Bill McOuat.

We choose, this day, to believe what you have said to us. Help us to increase, daily, in knowledge and understanding of your will so that in challenging times and situations, we can rest confidently, knowing without a doubt that what you have said is totally reliable. You are the only one in whom we can absolutely depend and trust. Salvation and eternal life come through no one else. Thank you, O God, for your unfailing love.

God of Love, we are so grateful that you have given us a place in your family that can never be taken away. You have made us your children forever and made us free in your love. Thank you for making this freedom possible. Enable us to enter more into the truth as we grow in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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August 17, 2014 / Pentecost 9 / Proper 14

SCRIPTURE Genesis 45:1-15; Psalm 133; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28

CALL TO WORSHIP Let us give thanks to God as we call upon his name. We will sing songs of praise and tell of the wonders of the Most High. For the Lord is good. Let us seek God with joyful hearts.

PRAYER OF APPROACH You, O God, are eternal. Your Love is everlasting. Your Mercy extends from the bottom of the deepest oceans to the tops of mountains peaks. Your Justice reaches every corner of the earth. You uphold your Covenant through every age and place. Praise to you, Holy God. Glory to you, our Gracious Creator. Enter our worship and enable us to taste the joy of the inheritance that is ours in Jesus Christ. Amen.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION The longings of our hearts are placed before you. Forgive us when we fail to live up to your standards. Forgive us for doubting and failing to trust in your sure and certain promises. In times of affliction, we have forgotten you. In times of celebration, we have ignored you. Forgive us, God of Hope, and enable us to see more clearly the vision of your way. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON The Spirit helps us in our weakness, interceding for us with sighs too deep for words. Jesus points us to the path of forgiveness and healing. Believe the Good News. In Christ, we are forgiven and set free from the bondage of sin and death.

DEDICATION OF OFFERING Thank you, God, for drawing us into your covenant of love. Thank you for providing for us each day. Our abilities, our inabilities, our gifts and our concerns are all in your hands. We dedicate ourselves to you again, confident that your Spirit will guide us into the way of peace. Amen.

COMMISSIONING God sends us forth into our life journeys with the promise of the Spirit's presence. It is the Spirit who lives within and amongst us. Let us leave with enthusiasm, confident in the treasures that God, in love, has provided.

page . MESSAGE OUTLINE The Rev. Kim Gilliland August 17, 2014 MAKING THE SMALL THINGS COUNT

IGNORING THE DEMONS The Canaanite woman approached Jesus and asked for help for her daughter. She was unspecific about the daughter’s problem. I light of the recent suicide of Robin Williams we will assume it was depression.

Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession. Matthew 15:22 (NIV)

Jesus initially ignored her because she was not Jewish. The disciples didn’t want to deal with her and asked that she be sent away. This is often the experience of people who suffer from mental illness.

ENGAGING THE WOMAN Because of her persistence, Jesus took a second look, saw her need and engaged her. She gave him a simple request. Lord, help me! Matthew 15:25 (NIV) People who suffer from mental illness need to reach out for help.

THE CRUMBS The woman did not ask for much. Just a few crumbs.

Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table. Matthew 15:27 (NIV)

People suffering from depression don’t need much but they need something. A phone call, a visit or a card in the mail can make all the difference. Jesus’ response was positive. Woman, you have great faith. Your request is granted. Matthew 15:28 (NIV) The pain may never go away but neither will the strength. And neither will the faith. Faith is a key component to mental wellness. Not much faith is needed.

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20 (NIV)

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