but don't you never

be down

The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 5th chapter!

Faith is featured prominently in today’s gospel. Isn’t it?

But, if you’re anything like the rest of us, it’s a little convicting to see these characters interact with Jesus. 

Here they are, making faith look like the easiest thing in the world. While the rest of us are struggling to keep what little faith we have left from failing.

…Today’s scripture begins as Jesus lands upon the rocky shoals of life. 

No sooner does he land, than a man runs up to him and throws himself at his feet!

Last week it was a foreigner possessed by a whole legion of demons. But this week it’s a local, possessed by the fear he’s going to lose his daughter.

Jairus, a leader in the church. His little girl is at the point of death. 

Chocking out the words in broken sentences, he manages to ask Jesus is he’ll come with him, and lay his hands on his poor girl, so that she might be made well. So that she might live.

With no more than a silent ascent, Jesus goes with the distraught man. 

Imagine how he must have felt! His poor girl tilting closer to death with each passing minute, and Jesus doesn’t waste any time. He just gets up and follows Jairus to his home!

Do you think he pulled at Jesus’ sleeve as he led him to his house?

Do you think he had any more patience than the rest of disciples when all of a sudden Jesus stopped to try and figure out who touched him?!?

Because while Jairus’ daughter was at the point of death, an unnamed woman had spent twelve long years creeping ever closer to it…

For years her body refused to heal. Not a single treatment made her any better, either. In fact, they only made her worse.

Not that she needed the help. In trying to find a cure she had spent every last penny she had… 

Imagine how desperate she must have been! To sneak up behind Jesus and touch his cloak as lightly as she could, in the long shot, in the off chance, that it might heal her.

And imagine how, when wonder of wonders, it worked!

No sooner did her fingers graze across Jesus’ cloak, than she could feel she was healed! 

BUT, just as quickly, Jesus ALSO felt power had gone forth from him!

Stopping suddenly, he demanded to know who touched him.

Imagine how this woman must have felt then. Do you think she was scared?Worried Jesus would chastise her? Afraid he might undo her healing?

Imagine, then, how she must have felt when, after telling Jesus the whole truth, instead of upbraiding her in front of everyone, Jesus called her, “daughter.” Told her, her faith had made her well! 

…Do you imagine, though, that while this woman was recounting the whole truth, Jairus was standing there counting the minutes that passed? 

Imagine how he must have felt at this disruption.

Do you think he was crushed when, as Jesus was still commending this woman for her faith, some of his’ acquaintances came and told him his girl was dead.

Do you think he felt cheated? 

Do you think Jesus’, “Don’t fear, only believe,” landed like a low blow?

…While this poor man’s head was still spinning, Jesus made the crowd stay behind as he took three disciples and headed off to Jairus’ house anyway.

Do you imagine Jairus’ fears were confirmed when they came to the house and he could see the mourners had already gathered? 

How do you think he felt when Jesus said the girl wasn’t dead, but sleeping? 

Do you suppose he felt like laughing along with the crowd? 

What about when Jesus took him and his wife into the room where his girl was? How do you think it felt when he saw her there, lifeless?

How about when Jesus went to her, took her by the hand and said, in their native tongue, “Talitha cum”? Little girl, get up!

AND, how do you think it felt when she DID?!?

…Today’s gospel takes place in those places that knock the breath out of us. The kind of places that makes us feel like our faith is hemorrhaging.

And yet, to hear Jesus talk, faith would seem to be abundant! 

He tells the woman whose been dying for twelve years, that her faith has made her well. And when Jairus gets word that his little girl of only twelve years has died and whatever hope he had is lost, Jesus tells him not be afraid, but only to believe!

Faith DOES feature prominently in today’s gospel. But, it’s faith that’s been turned upside-down and inside-out in light of Jesus!

The faith the woman is commended for and Jairus is commanded to, is not any sort of faith they conjure up or will themselves to have. It’s something else. A faith that springs up. A faith that’s willed to them!

And, it springs up, it’s given to them in the last place they’d expect! 

Like in the face of death! When they’re most helpless!

…Deep down we all want to be the ones responsible for our faith; and therefore our own salvation.

And this desire is so hardwired into us, we find evidence for it everywhere. Even when it isn’t there! Like today’s gospel.

We see this woman coming up to touch Jesus’ cloak, and recast her as the bold, daring woman willing to risk everything to get her healing. 

But, the simple fact that she sneaks up behind Jesus and touches his cloak as lightly as possible, might suggest another story.

Or, we see Jairus falling at Jesus’ feet, and recast him and as a man willing to lay all his pride at the feet of the savior of the world to get his little girl healed.

But, his repetitious begging would suggest something else.

The problem with the way we depict these characters, beside being wrong. Is that it’s unhelpful. And ultimately, even unfaithful.

If you want the woman to be a bold and daring hero of the faith, or Jairus to be an example of humility in action; good luck when you find yourself in their shoes.

The truth is, it wasn’t hard to imagine how the woman or Jairus must have felt. Was it? It wasn’t hard because we’ve all been there. 

I’m your pastor, I know you’ve been there!

And in those moments, I know your faith didn’t feel like a bold thing. And, if you were humble, it wasn’t any conscious choice. Was it? It was because that’s all you could be in the moment.

And while whatever faith you had might have felt like it was bleeding away, here you are!

You see, it didn’t depend on your faith. Did it?

It depended upon Jesus’ refusal to let you go!

In Jesus we don’t have faith, faith has us!

Isn’t that what your confirmation teacher made sure you learned? 

“I believe that by my own strength or understanding I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, BUT instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel…”

True faith, is faith that doesn’t come from in you. It’s faith that comes to you!

And, in Jesus, it’s a faith that comes to you in the last place you’d expect!

…Maybe you’re here today. And all you could do was sneak in. Maybe you’re a whimpering mess on the inside. 

And there’s a temptation to have a certain amount of shame about that. Guilt that your faith isn’t stronger.

But, unexpectedly, Jesus takes notice of even that feeble, faltering faith faith. In fact, it’s the sort his power can’t help but go out to!

While we’re busy doing everything we can to try and heal ourselves. And while it’s costing us everything, and making us worse, Jesus shows up and brings the whole thing to a halt!

Jesus stops and looks to you. He doesn’t tell you to pull it together! He calls YOU daughter! He calls YOU son! He calls YOU child of God!

In Jesus’ pierced hands, what little faith you have is enough! Jesus can make that timid, heart-broken faith, life-giving! Saving, even! More than enough to send you off in peace! Healed!

And then, in something even more unexpected, it works! Doesn’t it?!? 

It works!

Jesus’ ability to work with what little faith you may or may not have, creates within you more than enough faith!

In Jesus, your faith is enough! 

Not on account of anything you’ve willed yourself to think or believe, but on account of everything JESUS has willed TO you in your baptism!

It’s all your’s. Jesus holds nothing back. Go in peace. Your faith has made you well.

But, before you go, Jesus has commanded you get something to eat, too.