February 7, 2021 Text: Mark 1:29-39
Dear Friends in Christ,
There is a church in Sweden that has a painting by Danish artist Carl Heinrich Bloch who painted the Lord Jesus Christ in various episodes of his life. In this painting titled, “Christus Consolator,” Bloch shows the resurrected Christ surrounded by people of all ages both male and female. Two are laying their heads on his body while grasping his tunic. Most of the rest are looking into his eyes. One or two are gazing elsewhere. Each one is below Jesus as they seek comfort. “Christus Consolator” can be translated the “Christ who consoles.”
Consolator is not a word we hear anymore. A word we do hear is consolation. That word usually means we lost at something. Here is a participation trophy. Go home and console yourself with that; you lost.
Those of us of a certain vintage may recall a commercial where his father was consoling a young hockey goalie after he let in the winning goal. The dad felt the son’s anguish but could only console him with a Life Saver candy. The son grudgingly took it as the father said there would be other games. The announcer said as the scene ended that Life Saver candies are a part of life.
Is it that simple when you need consolation? Do you want a Life Saver? A candy bar? A stiff drink? A hug?
Let’s see what Jesus does in our Gospel lesson for those who needed some help . . .
“WHAT KIND OF CONSOLING DOES JESUS PROVIDE?”
Isn’t it appropriate that the painting we referenced at the beginning hangs directly above the altar? Jesus is welcoming the distressed and those who need healing and rest. Here He comforts with His love and forgiveness and death and resurrection and life and heaven. That painting makes sense hanging over an altar.
Jesus strides into the sickroom of Peter’s mother-in-law. She has a fever. A few of the other translations have “high fever” or “great fever.” As one who suffered fevers of 103 to 105 as a child I know that kind of fever makes you delirious. She was very sick and there were no antibiotics so her life hangs in the balance. Mark was close to Peter but doesn’t tell us her name even though he must know it. Why? Mark is telling us that the Lord Christ attends the anonymous, the forgotten, and the nameless, faceless individual that is in need of consolation. The Lord came to her and lifted her up. He took the initiative to extend her life. The fever left.
When I had my high fevers they were the result of step throat. The sickness of choice that afflicted me quite often in my younger years. Man, I hated those penicillin shots in my rump, but they always had the desired affect. My fever would lessen and eventually go away.
The Lord provided that medicine to console me. He does even more than that. Isaiah writes, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” (Is. 53:4) Matthew writes, “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” (Mt. 8:17) He became our sin and took our death. He takes what robs us of our humanity, and He restores us with His virtue, His blessing, His victory, His truth, His love. That is consolation.
This life is often not pretty. This life is often not comfortable. People are looking for ways to cope with trouble. Some look for it in an ill-conceived relationship. Some try a fifth of bourbon or gambling with their monies. Some try to grasp it in online shopping or a makeover. Others overeat or spend hours in mindless entertainment. This is all vanity and it usually exacerbates the problem we are trying to escape. Our Lord brings us something more.
He lifted the woman. He saved the no-name daughter of Jairus. A Life Saver candy was no solution but the Giver of Life gave her life back. He raised her up. Resurrection is consolation. The Lord’s empty tomb is divine consolation for sinners like us who face death constantly. “I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (Jn. 10:10) Simon’s mother-in-law received life and then she got up and served others.
How do you see this in your life? Here in the Divine Service Christus Consolator serves you through the Word that you hear preached. Christus Consolator serves you at the altar as you receive His body and blood. He consoles you with resurrection and then He sends you out to serve the other men and women He created. Your high fever of sin is forgiven. Shame has been removed.
In the Christus Consolator painting there is one child looking at us sad and lonely. As our Savior hangs onto us, will we be there for the young person, the elderly, those sick with sin? May the Holy Spirit lead us because we got to see and experience what kind of consoling Jesus provides.
Amen.