During my teaching years, I had to wake up at 3:30 AM to avoid the worst of the commuter traffic. When the alarm clock sounded, I could hear myself quietly praying – O Lord! It’s so early!
Thinking back to when our children were little, I remember that call in the night from a little voice that shattered a deep sleep. We would get up and stumble to their bedside to reassure and comfort – there was nothing to fear.
Growing up, I remember learning at home and school “not to interrupt.”
For a time, years ago, I had a spiritual director. He was a prayerful man who probably knew me better than I knew myself. I was asked on one occasion to deliver a time-sensitive message to him. This was before cell phones and texting, so I searched. I found him in the chapel in solitary prayer. Prayer is sacred time. Maybe I remember this forgettable moment because I was afraid to disrupt his solitude. I did interrupt, and as expected, he was gracious and grateful for the message.
An episode in Mark’s gospel contains two miracles and several interruptions (Mark 5:21-43). A synagogue official named Jairus implored Jesus to come and cure his daughter, who was “at the point of death.” There was an interruption on their way. A woman in the crowd, a widow, believed she would be cured of her affliction if she touched Jesus’ clothes. His healing power cured the woman. Jesus “turned around in the crowd,” aware of the cure, but not who touched Him. The widow came forward “in fear and trembling” and gave her story. Jesus affirmed the faith that saved her. The Jairus story picks up with word reaching them that the child had died – no reason to "trouble the teacher." Undeterred by the interruption, Jesus reassured Jairus, “…Do not be afraid; just have faith.” (Mark 5:36). Jesus restored the child to life.
Faith empowers us not to be afraid.
In a way, prayer makes us vulnerable to what life’s interruptions can mean for us. Perhaps in some instances, what appear to be intrusions and obstacles to our plans are graced moments.
God’s Spirit encourages, redirects, and invites us to faith that is not afraid to do the good and loving thing in all our relationships.
Let us pray in our families for the grace of faith that overcomes our fears.