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Invisible

Invisible

by Rev. Alexandra Robinson on July 10, 2024


Reading: Mark 5:21-44

As a very shy child, I would often pretend to be invisible.  It was a comfort to imagine that I could not be seen, avoiding fears of ridicule or embarrassment from peers.  I even had an imaginary friend, that allowed me to live in a world where I could be someone else, released from my anxieties in the real world.  There are still times in my life when this desire for invisibility persists. 

Particularly when we are hurting or afraid, we want to sit with our emotions, isolated from the rest of the world witnessing our pain. At times, reflection of suffering alone can be healthy, but persisting too long in this practice can become a source of depression.   Too much isolation can make us feel even more invisible, forgotten about, misunderstood, or afraid to show our true selves.

The story of Jesus’ healing in Mark 5:21-44 reminds us that to God, we are always visible.  Even when we might feel invisible or want to be invisible - there is no situation from which God does not know or care about in our lives.  Through this Scripture, Mark intentionally portrays the breadth and depth of Jesus’ healing ministry.  The hemorrhaging woman, who had been suffering for 12 years, is paired alongside a young girl only 12 years of age.  A nameless woman, bankrupt by medical bills, is paired with Jairus, a well-known and wealthy man.  This woman suffering from a long-term ailment is contrasted with a girl who has suddenly turned ill. This woman timidly and fearfully touches Jesus’ cloak lost in a crowd, while Jairus’ openly prostrates himself in a show stopping display before Jesus.  The woman is healed immediately from her ailment in the street, while Jairus must wait for Jesus to arrive at his daughters’ bedside.  Such a breadth, depth, and intentional difference in these two stories, assure us that we are never too far gone to be seen by Jesus.

The questions of faith and healing, are as real today as they were back then.  This Sunday we will tackle some of those difficult questions- considering how belief and trust connect with healing in times of suffering.  But for today, I invite you to spend some time reflecting on the truth found in this portion of Jesus’ ministry: you are not invisible.  Jesus sees your suffering, and you are never beyond his reach of care and healing.    

Thanks be to God for this assurance,

Pastor Alex


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