Sermon seeds, Proper 5, June 8

I don't know if I'll go anywhere with this, but something stood out to me today as I read over the gospel text for this coming Sunday.

Jesus saw Matthew, saw him & called him to follow. Jesus sees the woman who reached out for healing. The act of seeing, and that Jesus is seeing these people stood out to me.

What does it mean to be seen? What is Jesus seeing in Matthew and in the woman? The same thing? Different things? Seems to see something different or something more than what the Pharisees see in these folks. What about the fact that often when confronted with the marginalized in society that it's many people's instinct for some reason to not want to see. We want to ignore these people, pretend they don't exist. Ignore eye contact. They might ask us for money, they might ask us for help. I feel uncomfortable, I feel scared or unsafe, I feel oafish and embarrassed because I have no cash on me to offer. I feel overwhelmed by their need and the little it seems I can do to change their situation. I feel guilty because I'm supposed to try and help.

We ignore eye contact. We refuse to see them. But that's what they need. They need to be seen. They need to have their existence acknowledged. They need to be given a kind word or a smile. They need to be shown dignity and respect. They are a child of god. They are a brother or sister in Christ. They are part of the body. Jesus does not pretend to be busy, or preoccupied or hurry by or look in the other direction. He looks at them and sees them. He looks at them and sees their potential. He looks at them and loves them. He restores their hope and transforms their lives.

What does Jesus see in us? Are we willing to be seen? Willing to be seen if it can lead to healing? What if being seen means we're called to follow - are we willing to be seen then? Are we willing to be seen if it means having our lives transformed?