A reflection by Rev Dr Paul Glass Chaplain at Kent College based on this Sunday’s reading Mark 5. 21-43
Barrier Breaking
There was nothing about keeping faith at arm’s length.
Not that day.
There are those of us who are made nervous by a faith that is full blooded.
A faith which asks questions, confronts, takes action in uncomfortable ways. We’d prefer something that was quieter, more accepting, less inclined to be active.
We’d prefer to keep God at arm’s length.
But not that day…not that woman.
She was unclean. The blood made her so. She shouldn’t have been there at all. She should have been quiet, staying at home, not causing a fuss.
But hers was a desperate faith that demanded action…took risks.
So as she pushed through the crowd.
As she dove forward to touch the passing cloak.
As she physically trembled - admitting her action…
a polite, gentle accepting faith didn’t really come into it.
This was something else.
A barrier breaking faith that demanded action.
A belief that had to be tested full on. Risk taking.
And she was about to discover that he was a risk taker too.
That he also was a barrier breaker.
Jesus has very few comfort zones to be broken.
He is no respecter of the barriers that we put up.
He breaks taboos and conventions as he meets people where they are and helps them deal with their problems.
There is no shyness here.
No sense that he wishes she had waited for a quiet moment away from the public eye.
This is a barrier breaking God who responds when others do the same.
We sometimes want faith to be quiet, respectable, accepting.
We are made nervous when barriers are broken and things look like they’re going to get messy.
Barrier breaking God, open our minds, eyes and hearts.