Do Not Be Afraid; Just Have Faith

06-30-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Manasseh Iorchir, VC

A typical day in the earthly ministry of Jesus was full of events that included teaching on the mysteries of the Kingdom, healing of the sick who came or were brought to Him, spending some quiet time in prayer with His Father, and a private session with His Apostles in order to explain the many parables He may have used in teaching the people earlier. Mark recounts two major healings in our Gospel passage this weekend.

Jesus had shown how the human and divine natures were perfectly united in His person when He slept in the boat as the Apostles ferried Him across and when He rebuked the winds and calmed the stormy seas by simply commanding it to “be quiet, be still.” On arriving on the other side of the sea, great crowds gathered to listen to Him. Jairus, a synagogue official approached Him in humility and requested for healing for his daughter who was sick at home. In doing this, Jairus who must have been desperate at this point, demonstrated great humility and faith. He was a synagogue official, but he did not mind what other officials would think about his desperate search for help from Jesus with whom they often had disagreements. Jesus responded by promptly agreeing to follow Jairus to his home; thus taking the Apostles and the large crowd with Him. Jesus’ prompt and positive response indicates what the attitude of every authentic believer should be whenever there is a need or request to save life at all stages. Christian first responders, doctors, nurses and all health practitioners, should joyfully and dutifully respond to the demands of their vocation and uphold the well-being and dignity of all human life. Christian legislators and public servants have the moral obligation to make and execute laws that would advance the dignity and well-being of all human life from conception to natural death. Christ’s faithful will be imitating their Savior if they visit the sick, donate blood, fund and enable morally justifiable research that is aimed at advancing quality health care for people, and even go to or fund medical relief services to parts of our earthly home that are needy.

As Jesus proceeded to Jairus’ house, a lady who had hemorrhaged for twelve years and had lost all her fortunes in search of a cure, crossed all the hurdles that stood between her and Jesus and touched His garments as an act of faith believing that she would be healed. Mark reports that she received her healing instantly. The willingness of Jesus to attend to this lady while on the way to do something as noble as healing Jairus’ daughter, and the courageous exhibition of faith in spite of several hurdles provides us with moral lessons.

Perhaps because of the delay necessitated by the healing of this woman, Jesus was informed that Jairus’s daughter had passed. Jesus disregarded the report and admonished Jairus “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”  As we hear of bad things happening around the world, as we see our society and culture deteriorating into chaos and moral filth, and as we prepare to face new and daunting challenges, may we always hear strongly, the calming words of Christ who says to us “Do not be afraid: just have faith.” May He bring back to life the dying faith of the Church and may He help us to respond with urgency to the needs of our world.

It has been an honor and a blessing sharing the faith with you, please be kind and may God bless you. Fr. Manasseh