Sermon for the First Sunday after Trinity – evening
Sunday 18th June 2017
1 Sam 21. 1-15
Luke 11. 14-28
Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs
Mental health – or mental illness is something that probably scares us more than we like to admit. To begin with, it is so difficult to decide where any of us are on the spectrum of mental health…. Perhaps with the exception of the truly psychotic – the ‘mad’ – those who hear voices or see visions, and especially if these voices and visions seem to be encouraging a person to harm either themselves or another.
But there are a whole host of other conditions – depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar – which may inhibit someone from functioning in a so-called ‘normal’ way – or may not. Sometimes it is out of such conditions that the greatest artists, painters, writers, performers, musicians, derive their most creative and productive work. Many of our greatest comedians are in fact depressives or bi-polar – and we have come to appreciate that the autistic spectrum is another whole area that may describe a human being, but should never define them.
If someone has a broken leg, or is ill in bed with a high fever, we may sympathise – but we actually feel a lot more comfortable, because it is an illness or disability we can see and easily identify. If a friend or colleague suddenly ‘admits’ that they are on medication for a mental health condition, or have been diagnosed as ‘on the spectrum’, we instinctively move a little further away. We don’t know how to react, what to say for the best – we don’t even know if we really believe that they are ill or suffering…. Or maybe ‘swinging the lead’? Such has been the fate of those with such problems – or more accurately those living with such conditions. For too often the ‘problem’ is with us and our reaction, rather than with the person who admits to having a certain condition.
Jesus seems to have had no such difficulty in relating to those with mental health issues. Indeed many of his followers first came to consult him for what today we might call some psychological difficulty. And he had particular success at restoring such people to a sense of wholeness and well-being. Just think of Mary Magdalene, and stories of several other exorcisms or healings. But Jesus was also well aware that his success with such sufferers could be equally disturbing to those who came along to see what he was about. Rumours started to spread that his power was in some way sinister. That he was in league with the powers of darkness. And he had no hesitation in confronting such prejudice head on.
The truth is that very many of us – maybe even the majority – will suffer from some kind of mental disorder – some imbalance of the personality – some feature that makes us less than perfectly well and sometimes not able to cope with or to function in our daily lives. It may be temporarily induced by shock – typically a sudden bereavement, the loss of employment, a relationship breaking down. It may be demonstrated by some kind of addictive behaviour – drink, illicit substances, prescription drugs – even food. Or it may just be within our makeup – sometimes lying dormant for years but for no apparent reason, triggered into existence.
Historically those exhibiting wild or unconventional behaviour have either been locked up – or treated as being especially favoured by God in some way. The ‘Holy Fool’ tradition so strong in Russian custom for example. And it is true that sometimes the perfectly ‘normal’ adopt an abnormal persona in a particular situation. We hear of just such one occasion as David is trying to escape from Saul’s court – possibly because Saul’s paranoia is beginning to make David’s situation there too dangerous.
And some kinds of mental disturbance are indeed apparently ‘infectious’. The incidence of mass hysteria is well documented – we learn and mimic behaviour of those around us.
It has been dreadfully fascinating to observe the behaviour of those caught up in the terrible events of the past couple of weeks in London. Trauma does peculiar things to the human mind and no-one would be surprised if there is a real spike in people exhibiting signs of mental disturbance and anxiety attacks following all that is happened. We even talk about being driven ‘mad with grief’ – it can happen, especially when a loved one has died in horrendous circumstances – and where others have felt powerless to act.
But acts of generosity and sacrifice are ‘infectious’ too. Think of the many examples of those who find they are caught up by witnessing the compassion of others and feel they too want to join in. We sometimes talk about the ‘hive mind’ and it is indeed a force to be reckoned with, whether for good or for ill.
We are not a collection of isolated individuals – we are made as human beings, as our animal selves, to function in society. We relate to one another, whether living in a small rural community or as neighbours in a high-rise block in a great city. What damages one, impacts on us all. What delights and energises one, can also spill over to others. That is why the image of the Trinity – in which season we now are – speaks to us as a metaphor for God. A community of individuals all interdependent on the others – which loses all meaning if you try to separate one from another. Try it, and that way lies madness….
Being alert for and listening to the word of God does not imply that we should all walk around with voices ringing in our ears, guiding our actions and robbing us of autonomy and personal responsibility for our actions. Hearing the word of God as Jesus intends it, means never being alienated either from the rest of humanity, or from that great animating Spirit that calls forth the very best from us – our compassion, our generosity, our concern, our love. That is what brings us blessings and God’s grace, rather than all too human despair.