Jesus, 'Son of Man' – me, frail human
Monday, 5 August 2024
| John Kidson
Following a short hospital stay. I needed to let some friends and family know my current medical condition, so with tongue in cheek I emailed: ‘after my barrage of tests ECGs, EEGs etceteras, MRIs and so ons, finally some sort of answer: apparently I have a “good heart” so it must be “all in my head!”' Yeah, well... Some tests for which I had to travel showed little - but confirmed my good heart.
My third MRI, endured while in hospital, showed some further deterioration – which explained: #1. my 'ungainly' walking; #2. my failing short-term memory; and #3. my annoying increased need for toilet visits. These days I have less available time between the 'urge' and the 'surge'. It seems I need longer commercial breaks when watching TV and shorter halves at football games. At least I still remember the purpose of each visit! But I need more time between sitting in the stand and standing at the urinal. I note, some Biblical scholars explain the gaps in gospel narratives being caused by the eyewitness/writer's brief personal absence – a need to attend to an urge. A surge moment? Whatever. Mark tells us that one day Jesus took Peter and two others and led them up a high mountain by themselves. Were nine attending to a personal need? Then a change came over Jesus: his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared, talking with Jesus. Peter, not knowing what to say, seems to have blurted out: 'Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let's make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah'. They were terrified (Mk 9:3-6).
I needed to use light banter style to communicate medical facts and personal calm. I was happy that most emailed replies were essentially congratulatory. One was pointed: ‘It's good they found no nasties. Christ is risen!’ This reply came appropriately on Easter Sunday, but I still felt a little miffed with the 'no nasties' reference. Sure! Apparently no big 'C', but then I wasn't facing the brightest of futures! So this reply challenged me to look at the bigger picture. Not to dismiss my medical reports so lightly, but to consider them with due seriousness within the bigger picture. Certainly, in the light of new knowledge of my human frailty – including looming incontinence – could I still respond: 'He is risen indeed!'? Only just! Hmmm.
I reckon this explains my admiration for Peter as my 'favourite' disciple. I've heard it said: 'For every “Paul” there are a thousand “Peters”' – which indicates that most of us Jesus followers, like Peter, struggle to follow. ... It's a step forward and a half step back, three forward and two back and so on and off. I definitely feel a close affinity with Peter, but don't relish the way he apparently died. Still, I love his recorded definitive statement in answer to Jesus: ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’ (Jn 6:68). Amen! Peter, 'on ya'!
John Kidson, a former youth worker and uni chaplain, is a frequent contributor to Engage.Mail. He recently retired from parish ministry in the Grafton Anglican diocese.
Image credit: A green heartbeat on a black background by Joshua Chehov on Unsplash.