Sermon: The "ICK" factor

July 1, 2012John A. Baldwin

I want to do a quick poll this morning. Please raise your hand if you have read and studied the Book of Leviticus recently... Hmm I thought so... I haven't looked at it in great depth myself since my seminary days. It isn't what I'd call exciting, edge-of-our-seat scripture. In fact, it's probably better suited for putting us to sleep. Nonetheless, it does give us some interesting insights into the ritual and worship of the ancient Israelites.

Leviticus is the third book in the Old Testament, and it rests on the belief that the faithful enactment of ritual makes God's presence available, while ignoring or disobeying it undermines the harmony between God and the world. Chapters 1-10 describe the proper procedures for handling the blood of animals in the sacrifices that are offered to God, and describe the work of the priests who offer these sacrifices. Chapters 11-15 instruct the laity on purity (or cleanliness). Eating certain animals produces uncleanliness, as does giving birth; certain skin diseases are considered unclean, as are certain conditions affecting walls and clothing (mildew and similar conditions); as well as genital discharges, including female menstruation and male gonorrhea.

Leviticus 16 concerns the Day of Atonement, the only day on which the High Priest is allowed to enter the holiest part of the sanctuary to sacrifice a bull for the sins of the priests, and a goat for the sins of the laypeople. Chapters 17-26 contain the "Holiness Code". It prohibits a long list of sexual contacts and also child sacrifice. Penalties are imposed for the worship of false gods, consulting mediums and wizards, cursing one's parents, and engaging in unlawful sex. The code ends by telling the Israelites that they must choose between the law and prosperity on the one hand or horrible punishments on the other.

I'm sure you're wondering why on earth I'm talking about the Book of Leviticus, when it isn't even one of the scripture reading this morning. It's because it gives us a peek at what I would suggest is a very strong "ICK factor" in the psyche and character of the Israelites of long ago. For reasons we don't fully understand, they felt very strongly about the uncleanliness of touching certain things - animals, foods, diseases, body fluids, and dead things. 'Ugh! Don't touch them!' If you touched them, you yourself became unclean. Being unclean meant that you couldn't come to the Temple to worship the holy God. If you were unclean, you had to go through a rite of purification or cleansing in order to be welcomed back into society and into the presence of God.

These practices were very important to the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus' day, so it should come as no surprise that they responded with revulsion to the ways in which Jesus and his disciples disregarded them. In our Gospel reading this morning, there is a strong "ICK factor" in play. It begins with a woman, who has been afflicted with a blood disorder for 12 years, touching Jesus thereby making him "unclean" in their eyes. Leviticus 15:19 states clearly that anyone who touches a woman with a discharge of blood is unclean until evening. Jesus not only is touched by her, but he goes on to bless and heal her. "ICK". Then Jesus proceeds to the home of Jairus, grips the dead hand of a little girl and pulls her up. Another big "ICK". And that may have been a typical day in the life of Jesus. He touched lepers, and spent the bulk of his time with the great "unwashed" tax-collectors, prostitutes, the sick and diseased. ICK, ICK. ICK.  They could not understand and see Him as the One who had come to do what the Law was unable to do — make men and women clean and whole.

Jesus boldly moved past the "ICK factor" of his time, culture and society. To Jesus no one was unclean..... beyond the reach of his loving embrace. He set a new standard that the religious authorities found absolutely repugnant. Lest we be overly harsh in judging those religious leaders from a vantage point 2000 years removed from the scene, have there not been big "ICK factors" regulating human society down through history, and are there not still big "ICK factors" present in our own lives today?

Every one of us has things and experiences which cause us to recoil in revulsion. What makes you feel icky? (pause) I might include in my "ick factors" chiggers, tripe, floating dead fish, and a few others I won't mention. Just too icky to be mentioned in a sermon!! I suspect that together we might come up with a lengthy list. When we began our series on "Jesus - who do you say that I am?" I debated what picture I might display that was illustrative of ickyness. I came across one picture of Jesus picking his nose, but I was wisely persuaded to pass that one by. Instead I chose one from Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Chris that is very bloody. Not only would the Pharisees say "ICK" to this one, but I kind of feel that way myself. We prefer our portraits of Jesus to be cleaned up, and acceptable in polite company. We err on the side of overly emphasizing the divine in Jesus, perfect in every way, without blemish, sterile. Yet Christian theology is adamant that Jesus was human in every way that we are. He knew and experienced ickiness, and triumphed over it.

Jesus sets a powerful example for us of seeing in every human being, no matter how they might appear in the eyes of others - diseased, sinful, out of step with society - as a beloved child of God, and he treated everyone with grace and dignity. We should do no less.

As I reflect back over my own life, and particularly my growth as a pastor and priest, I have been confronted time and again with situations and people that have raised my ICK radar. I went to an all-boys prep school for 5 years as a teenager where homosexuality was not only taboo but terrifying. In the years since I have been blessed with friendships with many gay men and women who have helped me overcome what once was off-putting, and see them through the eyes of Jesus as fully worthy of respect and dignity. My parents drilled into me that women of another race or religion were absolutely off-limits to a white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Yet through the years I have come to witness relationships which are filled with grace that transcend those artificial boundaries based on fear.

During my first year of seminary in 1974, I began field work in a Boston rehabilitation hospital where I visited and ministered to men and women who were recovering from debilitating strokes, and life-threatening malignancies. I remember well the first time I dressed up in mask, rubber gloves, and gown and went in to see a woman who welcomed me with “Here's the lone ranger, come to visit the lone stranger”, and who helped me grasp the fullness of her humanity. As part of our training we went to view open-heart surgery from a gallery, which I found so intense I nearly passed out. Later in time I served as a chaplain in a locked acute, schizophrenic ward where bizarre behavior was commonplace. I also have spent time visiting in prisons, in detox units, and in ICU's. Through it all, I have grown in my ability to confront what once felt threatening, unclean, repulsive, and see beyond it to the person within. I am, I believe, a better priest and pastor thanks to these experiences, able to go into intense situations and be fully present in the name of Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ sets a high standard for those of us who choose to walk in his footsteps. Where others put up walls, drew back, employed fear and disdain to isolate, shame or embarrass, Jesus waded in without fear or judgment to love, heal and restore to wholeness.

Our Baptismal covenant calls us to this faithful journey of moving beyond our ICK factors, whatever they may be, in these questions, “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?”, and “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”

We're not talking here just about those who look like us, act like us, believe like us, smell like us, but about every human being. Jesus calls us to put on the eyes of God and look beyond the ickiness in human living, to the presence of the beloved children of God within. Amen.