A healing economy (by Samara Pitt)

One reflection coming out of a bible study run at the Indigenous Hospitality House…Samara Pitt’s rewrite of Mark 5:21-43 in light of the stimulus package.

Mark 5: 21-43

……..Jesus arrived by bus back at the northern suburbs. A huge crowd of shoppers gathered to meet him at the entrance to Northlands shopping centre, and a man named Mr Jones — a respected business leader — was among them. Mr Jones fell on his knees at Jesus’ feet and begged him repeatedly, “I am on the verge of defaulting on the mortgage repayments for my commercial venture at Northlands. Come and bail me out so that my livelihood might be saved.” Jesus agreed and went with him. Much of the crowd tagged along, all jostling and pushing, trying to be near him.
……..Hiding amongst the shoppers was a welfare recipient suffering from prolonged financial crisis due to stolen wages and generational poverty. Since the previous recession her money troubles had meant that everyone treated her as a dole bludger and an economic liability. She had spent all her money on financial counsellors, compensation claim lawyers and get-rich-quick charlatans who had signed her up to everything under the sun. Despite all their budgets and submissions and pyramid schemes, her debt just kept getting worse. She had heard about Jesus and was sure he was her last chance. Unnoticed, she pushed her way through the shoppers and managed to pull out a hard luck story. She was thinking to herself, “Surely even picking up a few dollars will be enough to turn things around and help put me back in the black.”
……..Sure enough, the moment she did it, she felt the financial haemorrhaging stop. She could feel a real change in herself and she knew that she was finally free of her debts. Jesus felt something too, a sudden discharge of purchasing power. He spun around, looking at the crowd, and asked, “Who’s got some money out of me?”
……..“Who hasn’t?!” his disciples asked incredulously. “If these bargain hunters shake you down much more they’ll have to scan you through the checkouts, so there’s not much point asking who got money out of you.”
……..But Jesus knew that it was something more than that and kept looking around to see who it was. The woman knew he meant her, and she knew that she was going to be found out. Shaking with fear, because she had put everyone’s financial security at risk, she fell at his feet and spilled out the whole story. But Jesus lifted her by the hand and said to her, “Daughter, you took a risk of faith and it has paid off for you. Welcome back to the world where there is enough for all! May peace, health and happiness be yours, and may your debts be gone for good.”
……..As he was saying this, some people arrived from Mr Jones’s home and said, “It’s too late. You’ve been declared bankrupt.  It’s no use bothering the consultant now.”
……..But Jesus heard what they were saying, and said to Mr Jones, “Don’t give up. Trust me.”
……..He sent the shoppers on their way and wouldn’t let anyone come with them except Peter and the brothers, James and John. When they arrived at the shop of the business leader, it was in a state of chaos. Everywhere there were people catastrophising, and you could hardly move for financial counsellors, neighbouring shop owners, and people bearing dire predictions and credit  agency brochures. Jesus didn’t mince his words: “That’s enough. You have not lost your security.  There will still be enough.”
……..But they rubbished him. They knew he was stuffed. Unperturbed, Jesus took charge of the situation and kicked them all outside. Taking only the business owners and his three companions, he went into the room where the bank’s letter was laid out. He took it in his hand and ripped it to bits and said, “Participate in the Economy of God!” which is a way of saying, “When the world operates God’s way there is enough for all.” That was all it took —suddenly their sense of security was alive and well, with the wealth of community relationships developed over the last economic cycle! Of course everyone there was blown away — overcome with joy and amazement. Jesus gave them strict instructions not to breathe a word of this to anybody. Then he said, “The economic justice and wellbeing of your community needs an investment of your time and attention.  Give it some.”

©2000 Nathan Nettleton www.laughingbird.net
Adapted by Samara Pitt for Lent, 2009