In this morning's Gospel from Matthew we're introduced to the Jesus-connection between a tax collector-a dead girl and a woman who has been sick for 12 years.  In chapters 8 and 9 of Matthews gospel there are 9 healing stories...and these stories are sandwiched in-between the Sermon on the Mount and the call to discipleship.   These stories reveal that healing and fullness of life are some of the gifts that come with a committed journey of discipleship.

This morning Jesus shares a meal with a tax collector, touches the dead body of a young girl and is touched by a bleeding woman.  These stories assure us that Jesus will not be deterred from relationships with people who others name as ‘out of bounds'-for each of these persons were considered an untouchable -impure-outcast by the friends and neighbors of Jesus-and Jesus broke through cultural standards and overturned local traditions, when inclusion, mercy and compassion were at stake.  If we examine the day-to-day life of Jesus we consistently see that healing and returning to fullness of life in community, are natural parts of our rhythm in healthy life together.

I've tried to imagine what would be our modern day equivalent of the bad-man tax collector...perhaps such jobs as arms dealers, those who exploit the poor with rotten mortgages or menial work come to mind for me; touching dead bodies remains a contemporary taboo for some in our culture, unless you're a CSI fan.  Persons with bleeding maladies continue to challenge most of us.  In the early days of AIDS, some of our own members know the scarlet letter of living as ‘untouchable' even by members of the health care community-even children with AIDS in public schools, were ritually banned by their teachers and friends.  But lets face it, its also hard to touch someone who is constantly despairing, socially awkward, seemingly needy and lonely-the preverbal last kid picked for the kickball team! Whatever it is that claims someone as a social outcast from early on in life, can ostracize that person even as an adult, confining his or her weekends to endless television and isolation-and/or destructive addictions.  Yet in each of the stories this morning, Jesus claims there is healing in relationships that are restored and community to be created by transgressing boundaries that exclude others. Generosity-extravagance of relationship wins out with Jesus!  This is good news for all of us and unreserved good news for the exhausted, unconditional words of welcome for the thirsty soul.  There is promised sanctuary for the disenfranchised, the beaten, the abused, a goose-down feather bed for the suffering.  No conditions, no questions asked-divine mercy just given to us with the extravagance of God's life-giving love, extended to all humanity.  Mercy is the cosmic equalizer-God's economy includes mercy to the hungry, rest for the fainthearted and it's extended to all, no membership required, no pious platitudes or promises to be recited in trade.

Mercy, in this context, is God's extension of food and sustenance to everyone and anyone without judgment, whether we think they deserve it or not.  God is merciful because we need mercy, not necessarily because we can claim to ‘deserve' it by our own doing.  The quality of mercy is the provision of what we need just because we need it.  God does not keep score, but says "Come-I have everything that you need".  Are you longing to be forgiven?  You are.  Does your soul crave to sleep unafraid, without torment, free of self-criticism?  It's yours, granted.