“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
If only it were that simple, that we could reject fear and have only faith instead. I think the reality is more complicated. Sometimes, the best I can do is hold faith and fear inside me at once, struggling to cast off lingering fear and let the peace and faith of Christ take hold. It is a lifelong battle, I believe, to let go of this worldly fear and mistrust. Jesus knows this, too-- how many times in the bible do we hear “do not be afraid”? A lot! And this is usually before intense stuff occurs! To fear is to be human, to have faith is to be a follower of Christ.
The people in this gospel are simultaneously afraid, and faithful. The synagogue official is afraid for his daughter’s health, thus he turns to his faith in Jesus and asks for her healing. A powerful man humbled himself before the Lord. I imagine the afflicted woman was fearful, too. She has clearly been suffering for many years due to her condition, which is likely to have forced her away from her family/society as well. She faces the fear of a lifetime of pain and separation if she is not healed. So, she too, turns to her faith in Jesus.
I will point out, also, that both people in this gospel were taking risks by reaching out to Jesus. It was more than just anxiety that their situation would not change. We have seen Jesus through various run-ins with synagogue officials and there is usually some type of disagreement. To put it lightly, Jesus was viewed as a bit of a troublemaker. So, for this official to publicly approach Jesus and plead with Him for help may have cost this man his reputation and livelihood in the community. But, he had faith Jesus could do what he asked. Similarly, the afflicted woman would have been considered unclean due to her condition. Yet she risked entering this crowded area to be near Jesus and even touch His cloak. When she is discovered and called out by Jesus, I imagine she was terrified. She could have lied or hidden, but she did not. She was honest with Jesus that it was her who reached out to him. Her humility and faith save her.
This Gospel shows us that God will always meet us where we are. There is no circumstance too far gone for Him to love us through. He calls us to give Him our troubles so that we can follow His path. Again, I find this difficult, but allow me to share a mental image I have prayed with that I find helpful. I imagine a nasty black mass of goo. It has a mind of its own, and tries to cling to me. This filth, is whatever I am trying to lay at the feet of the Lord. I imagine, sometimes over and over, doing just that. I approach the resplendent feet of the Lord and imagine relinquishing my burden. I pray as I do this, that God will help me to let go of my fears, and fill me with His peace.
My prayer for us all this day is that we may be able to relinquish our fears to the Lord, and that He may replace them with His love and peace.
Mirielle Mason
I am originally from Colorado, and ended up at Creighton for six years while I earned my PharmD in 2024. Immediately following pharmacy school, I got married and moved to the east coast to join my husband, who is in the marines. I am lucky to be working as a pharmacist in my field of choice: Long Term care. In my spare time I read, spend time outdoors, and care for our two cats and horse!
My time on campus was beautiful, yet also burdened by the pandemic. The roles I had in campus ministry were diminished due to the restrictions, and this weighed heavily on my heart. My choir director was so kind as to recommend me to write for Creighton Online Ministries as a replacement for the reflections I was supposed to be doing in my ministry. I am new to this specific ministry, but it has already taught me so much and brought me many blessings.
