The Sixth Sunday of Easter: From FEAR to HOPE

STEP ONE: BREATHE

Take a deep, cleansing breath. Allow the air to fill your lungs and expand your body. Exhale and empty yourself into the room. Repeat three times - once for the one who Created you, once for the Incarnate One who walks beside you, and once for the Spirit whose life fills your being.

STEP TWO: DWELL IN WORD

“ When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. “”

— Mark 5:21-43

“FEAR NOT” - Introduction to this week’s Focus

The scenes and stories are heart wrenching…in a matter of hours a loved one becomes ill enough to call the paramedics. As the paramedics place them on the gurney and wheel them out of the house, the reality sets in that we will not see this person for weeks or we may never see them again.

Because Covid-19 spreads so easily hospitals simply cannot allow visitors until this pandemic is under control. Even those of us without symptoms now must consider and prepare “just in case”. If one of us tests positive, where in the house will that person isolate? Some of us are privileged enough to have a guest room and even a guest bathroom that could be used to isolate but then many do not. What’s the plan if one of our household has to be hospitalized? Bills still need to be paid, children and pets cared for, and household chores still need to be done.

At times it can be overwhelming…a deep-seated dread and fear set in. While some scientists now question this statement, I read once that human beings are the only creatures who know that one day they will die and their loved ones will die. In his Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Denial of Death, cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker argues that this knowledge of our own human mortality governs all that we do as human beings.

Who knows how Jairus knew about Jesus but when his daughter became ill, Jairus left his house and sought out Jesus. When Jesus arrived Jairus’ greatest fear had been realized. In his absence the girl had died. Jesus said “Do not fear, only believe.” Easier said than done when confronted by life’s greatest enemy.

Fear and dread are real things that we must experience and deal with. However, there are other scenes…scenes of folks leaving the hospital to the applause and cheers of the medical staff and arriving at the open arms of their loved ones. That is the hope we must cling to. It was the hope that motivated Jairus, that Jesus could help his daughter. Today God uses the minds and skills of doctors and other medical staff, more often than not, they bring about small miracles.

The author of 1 Thessalonians says that even in our fear and grief we are people of hope (see 1 Thessalonians 4). It is to that reality of fear and hope that we turn to during this sixth week of our Easter celebration.

STEP THREE: PRAY

Gracious God, in the death and resurrection of Jesus you have defeated the powers of sin and death. Strengthen our faith and trust that Jesus has now turned that victory over to us. Even in the face of illness and death fill us with your holy hope that all things, including our very lives, are in your hands. Amen

Today’s devotion is by Pastor Dennis Sepper