I hear a theme

Today I read a statement from the ICU doctor from UPMC York hospital where there was a shooting. Staff were tied up. A police officer lost his life. Many people were traumatized. The doctor talked about how our health care system is broken. Staff are overworked, insurance companies are over bearing, there is stress upon stress. It’s not sustainable. He didn’t say this, but what I heard is that the humanity has been sucked out of the system. The reasons are complex of course. Profit motive has a way of turning people into things to be measured. Ignoring problems built up over time has a way of causing harm. Not seeing the humanity of the patients, the staff, or anything else has a way of dehumanizing care.

I read an email about refugee families in need of support due to the stop work executive order the President signed in January. Thousands of refugees who are already here, who were promised support, are left out to dry. We are richest nation in human history, and here we are looking for people to volunteer time and gift cards to make up for the care that was promised people who followed the rules and came with good intentions at a better life. The reasons for this are complex. Scapegoating hurts real people. Cutting off promised funds breaks trust. Not seeing the humanity of refugees and those that care for them has a way of dehumanizing care.

People tell me they are fearful, anxious, frustrated. They don’t know what to do. I see stories about people going to town hall meetings where their elected officials are – demanding that their members of Congress start acting like a co-equal branch of government. And the response is excuses. The reasons are complex. Mostly, in our current political climate, no one seems to be listening to each other. And when words fails, humans often have a tendency to turn to violence. Is our political system broken? Or is working exactly as it was designed to? Or something else?

On Sunday, we read Luke 7:36-50. It’s the story of Jesus being invited to the home of Simon the Pharisee for a meal. While there, a woman enters. She is known as a sinner in the city. We don’t know what sin she has committed, it doesn’t. Isn’t it interested that we so desperately want to know what sin she has committed. She is unnamed. But her presence disturbs the meal. The Pharisee and his guests want her to go away. It’s always easier to wish our problems away. To just not see them fully or at all. To label and blame people for things. To other someone. To make excuses. To ignore the brokenness that allows for some to dehumanize others.

But Jesus see her. He sees her love and care. It’s authentic. It’s as real as she is. He sees her – she has value and worth. He sees her when others refuse to see her humanity.

Jesus hears her. He hears her weeping. He hears what is not being said. She is begging for a fresh start. He hears how her heart desires new life. He hears the scapegoating and the labeling of the others at the table – those who would just dismiss her rather than deal with what brought her there in the first place. He hears her.

Jesus lets her know that she is not alone. She has been seen and heard. That very act reminds her of her humanness. And in that moment she knows she is not alone. Jesus is there with her. Alone, she is unable to do anything. But together, something powerful is about to take place.

There is hope! Jesus forgives her of her sins. He gives her a fresh start. She has a future to look forward to. The label that was attached to her has been pulled off. There is hope.

Jesus sends her off with peace. She is free to go, de-labeled and fully human again. She has been seen and heard. She is not alone. There is hope. And she has been given the gift of forgiveness, new life, and peace. She goes to share that with others.

Loneliness is an epidemic in this country. We have numerous social networks, but we are more alone than ever. We feel we need to do and say things that are more outrageous to get other’s attention. Many desire 15 minutes of fame just to know that someone, anyone sees them, validates their existence. No wonder why we have a health care system that is struggling to provide care. Health care systems are made up of people. And too many people are struggling right now. Our politics is no different. And the same goes for so many other systems in our midst.

There’s a lot of pain and suffering as well. Almost too much for humanity to bear. Maybe that’s why so many of our fellow humans act harshly against other humans. Maybe that’s why we try to dull the pain of living by scapegoating and addictions to power and control. Maybe that’s why we ignore, divert attention, and make excuses – so that we don’t have to deal with the pain of reality.

Here’s the message that I want to share with you. Because it’s the message that I needed to hear. You see, we’re all the unnamed woman. We are all in need to what she needed. Too many people think they want to be the respectable ones at the table – the ones who can look down on others, as if that will make us feel better about ourselves. Instead, we should desire to be the unnamed woman. It’s her that receives the message and more. And here is the message that I share with you:

I see you.

I hear you.

We are not alone.

There is hope.

Let’s go!