“Listen to Him”

by Bruce J. Johnson

March 2, 2003

Scripture: Mark 9: 2-9

Reading through the articles about the tragic fire at the Greenwood Health Center, I was so struck by the initial results of the investigation. The focus is on a 23-year-old young woman with MS, a history of substance abuse and a cigarette lighter. After the tragic fire at the night club in R.I. and all the attention being given to safety regulations and fire drill instructions, now we have attention being given to the growing trend of housing psychiatric patients in nursing homes because of the closing of so many mental health facilities around the country. One of the ten who died was a 17 year old boy Daniel Henriquez who was in the nursing home for two years, the result of the stab wound he received while breaking up a fight outside his home somewhere in Hartford. Helen Urbinas, a columnist for the Courant, did a feature article on his parents’ sorrow, one that just tugged at your heartstrings— what a painful experience for those parents--losing their son twice.

(Hartford Courant, 2/28/03)

Well, all this reminds me of the powerful and critically acclaimed 1986 play written by Tom Griffin called “The Boys Next Door.” Fundamentally, the play gives insights into the reality of “de-institutionalization,” caused by under-resources and the over crowded state of community care. The setting is a group home for four intellectually and physically challenged adults. Norman shares his home with three other men: Arnold is “basically a very nervous person;” Lucien is obsessed with his library card because it has his name on it. And Barry thinks he’s a ‘golf pro’--- he is a grade A schizophrenic. Jack is the care worker.

Norman is innocently charming, seriously overweight and madly in love with a young woman from the woman’s halfway house around the corner. He works at a doughnut shop and eats doughnuts as if they were peanuts--- for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Doughnuts are his livelihood, his comfort food and his magnificent obsession.

He meets Sheila at a party, which the group home directors throw for them. He sees Sheila and suddenly his life is changed. Of course, he shyly offers her some doughnuts, and she gladly accepts. But then, the play changes and suddenly shifts into a scene where both Sheila and Norman are transfigured. Instead of being shy, doughnut-obsessed and incredibly awkward, this huge clumsy man becomes light on his feet and asks her to dance. She loses her nervous tick and strange gait as she gladly accepts.

AND THEY DANCE-- a ballroom dance, in a scene which is flooded on stage with light but the viewer understands and experiences both the light of hope within and a fierce imagination for how sweet, whole and healed a life for these two could be. Gone are their awkward, adolescent shyness and their physical limitations--- present instead, is a vision of how love changes everything, casting a golden light of perfection, acceptance and blissful completion as a couple--- who we know, in reality, have to struggle much harder at living and loving than in this scene of transfiguration. In their faces and in their bodies, we see a glimpse of the beauty behind the ordinary suffering of life; we see faces shining with the grace of God but we also know that this is happening in the midst of some tough times and harsh realities.

(I’m indebted to the Rev. Patricia de Jong and Stephen Dunne for this reference.)

I wonder if that was similar to what Peter, James and John experienced that day when Jesus took them high up the mountain where they witnessed the brilliant love of God in the midst of a life that was inexorably moving in such a different direction---toward Jerusalem and a cross.

I can’t help but think that the circumstances were not much different. As a matter of fact, who among us can’t identify with Peter’s exuberance and compulsive need to do something to hang on to the moment? Indeed, Peter initially responds to all of this as most of us would; he begins to babble and bubble over with great ideas for saving the moment. “Let’s build some booths!” “Let’s hold on to this experience!” This is important, let’s make it permanent! If the scene had happened today, you can bet that Peter would have been moving about with his digital video camera whirring—making sure that he got everything on disc from every angle and then as soon as he got down from the mountain – it would have been sent out over the net!

And why wouldn’t he? He was coming off somewhat a bad week--- one that started good. You will remember, I’m sure, that the days leading up to the trek up the mountain were filled with tough lessons. The eighth chapter of Mark is the one that contains Peter’s great confession (“Who do men say that I am?” and then, “Who do you say that I am?”) It is Peter who blurts out: “You are the Christ!” That chapter, however, also contains his great failure—that is, when Jesus talked ‘ plainly’ (the word used in scripture) The Way says that He talked with the disciples ‘quite frankly’ about his rejection by the elders and chief priests and about his suffering and death ---Peter would hear none of it! And then to the multitudes he talked about carrying crosses and losing lives and making the right profit and living amidst an adulterous and sinful generation.

I often wonder whether the mountaintop experience was part of the plan, the way in which God hoped to help Peter and the other disciples with their resistance, blindness and deafness. And maybe the appearance of the cloud and the voice is the activity of an exasperated God—who comes to the end of his patience with Peter who is now bustling and babbling rather than savoring!

“LOOK, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON- LISTEN TO HIM!

NOT EASY TO DO, especially when what you and I are called to hear is so unpleasant and unsettling!

I have enjoyed reading the articles about and tributes to Fred Rogers who died on Thursday. He was a Presbyterian minister, ordained in 1962 and charged with the mission “to keep doing what he was doing on television.” (New York Times, 2/28/03, p. A27.)

‘Mister Roger’s Neighborhood’ was his show, and his songs, and stories and heart to heart talks with countless thousands of children over 900 episodes taught children how get along in the world. Over and over again, it was mentioned that he was the last of the ‘real people’ in children’s television--- now it’s all animation!

Moreover, the tributes flood in because his was a revolutionary idea--- which children needed to deal with the world as it is. He once said in an interview:

“The world is not always a kind place. That’s something all children

learn for themselves, whether we want them to or not, but it is something they really need our help to understand. They need to be taught that their worst fears are manageable and mentionable…”

So, Mister Rogers never shied away from topics like war, death, divorce, poverty and disability. And he constantly addressed the issues of self-esteem and the joy of imagination and the adventure of curiosity.

I’M SIMPLY IN AWE OF THE ‘NUMBERS’ WHO HAVE LISTENED TO HIM AND HOW MANY LIVES HAVE BEEN TOUCHED AND TRANSFORMED BY WHAT HAS BEEN HEARD!

So, it is of no wonder to me that the words spoken by the voice coming from the cloud were—“Listen to Him.” You may not want to hear these things but what he has to say is essential!

Listening—just listening is essential on a number of different levels.

First and foremost---you know, when I read stories like today’s—including what I have mentioned from the 8^th chapter of Mark, I think of the sense of pain and isolation that Jesus must have felt when, in one way or another, Peter and the other disciples just refused to hear anything about his suffering and death. Among the many who have spoken about the power of listening. Rachel Naomi Remen, the author of Kitchen Table Wisdom speaks eloquently in a reflection title: “Just Listen”

Listen:

“I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. And especially if it is given from the heart. When people are talking, there’s no need to do anything but receive them. Just take them in. Listen to what they’re saying... Care about it…” (p. 143)

Listening is all about making a human connection. It is about personal participation in another person’s life. I think that we all know that and on this Transfiguration Sunday, on the eve of the season of Lent and our journey with Jesus to Jerusalem--- he wants us to listen, to connect, to pay attention, to care and ultimate to share in what he will go through for us.

Secondly, listening is about learning or about coming to know or being challenged to acknowledge new truths and trust new promises.

The TV show ‘Touched by an Angel’ continues in its popularity as an alternative to what--- ironically-- we call ‘REALITY TV.’

The format for the show is always the same—Tess, Monica and Andrew—entering a person’s life who is lost and lonely, experiencing tragedy or being destructive. Throughout the show, they try their best to teach new insights, tell new truths and show a new way but not until the light shines—does the individual take notice and begin to listen. The message is always the same:

God loves you and will walk with you wherever you must go and you will get to the place you are supposed to be!

When that voice spoke from the cloud that day, it was saying not only that listen would be important for Jesus but that it would be essential for us… so that we can see and hear the truth about God’s love for us--- a love that lights the way to life and life eternal.

And so, let us today--- “Listen to Him.”

Call to Communion-- He speaks to us in the sacrament of communion.

This is my body which broken for you.

This is my blood, which is shed for you.

Eat and rink and know my love.