“Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest’s courtyard, and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.” (Mark 14:54)

Like Peter, we may profess our allegiance to Jesus that “even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be.” (Mark 14:29) We may recite the creed every Sunday declaring that we believe in “God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.”

Yet, like Peter, there may be times when we keep our distance from Jesus.  We may fail to show up for a daily prayer time before breakfast.  After a busy week of work, and a Saturday filled with our kid’s sports activities, we may let a round of golf take precedence over our attending mass on Sunday.

We may fail to respond to a friend’s request for help because it is not convenient.  We may put a higher priority on our comfort as Peter did when he warmed himself by the fire.

Like Peter, we may be thrust into circumstances where we are reluctant to be identified with Jesus.  In Peter’s case, it was the guards, the elders and the mob.  For us, it may be a boss who has disdain for God, or social friends who consider any reference to Jesus as foolishness.

Early in my career when I attended company meetings followed by cocktails and dinner, the conduct could sometimes get a bit macho and boisterous. It was not unusual for the conversation to involve exaggerated exploits, the building up of self and the putting down of others, off-color jokes, gossip, and the fawning over whoever might be the most senior person present. At some point I began to realize that when I went along with this I was distancing myself from Jesus. It was so easy to go with the flow and tempting to want to be a part of the group. It required a decision on my part not to participate.

Just as Peter’s faith was tested, so is our faith tested in numerous ways, some obvious and significant, others subtle and small. 

The world inclines us to keep our distance from Jesus, while Jesus bids us to draw near.  He says come to me all who are burdened from the cares of this world and I will give you rest.  Come to me all who are thirsty for meaning in life and I will give you understanding.  He says step across the distance that separates us, and you will experience my love, my strength, and my peace.  He warns us that in the world we will have trouble, but assures us that he has overcome the world.

Are there times when you follow Jesus at a distance?

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

We may recognize this passage from yesterday’s gospel reading and what is sometimes referred to as the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, or The Judgment of the Nations. The King (Jesus) returns to judge the nations. He separates people by placing them on his right and left. To those on his right, he makes the above statement. They ask when did we feed you and give you drink, clothe you, take care of you, or visit you in prison?

He replies, “Whatever you did to one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”  In other words, when we serve the needs of others, particularly the “least,” we serve Jesus as well.

Two weeks ago, I broke my right wrist. Since I am right-handed, I have become very dependent, and my wife, Marilynn, has had to help me with many ordinary daily tasks that I can no longer do myself, including some of those mentioned by Jesus above. Since I am currently quite dependent, I fall into the category “least brothers of mine.”  She has done this with patience, understanding, and love.

Her support of me, however, is not a one-time thing for she has been doing this throughout our sixty years of marriage with our five children, thirteen grandchildren, neighbors, and friends. This has been particularly true with our daughter, Emily, who was born with Down syndrome and is now 37. After Emily completed her schooling, she worked for a bakery and catering business for twelve years until it closed its doors during COVID.

Since then, Marilynn has worked tirelessly in helping Emily fill her day with meaning and purpose. She has provided a daily routine with a morning walk and various chores including getting the newspaper, making the beds, folding the laundry, getting the mail, taking out the trash, and setting the table for the evening meal. She developed the idea of Emily serving coffee and cookies after daily mass two days a week at our parish, St. Mark. She hired a job coach to assist with the preparation of the coffee and got the staff and pastor’s support. Emily has developed quite a following of people attending daily mass who come to receive a smile, a hug, and a cup of coffee.

Jesus says, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34)

How do you look for ways to serve “these least brothers of mine?”

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

These are the words of a father whose son was possessed by a spirit that frequently threw him to the ground with seizures.  The father said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”  Jesus replied, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” The father cried out in desperation, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.” Jesus commanded the spirit to come out of the boy and he was healed. (Mark 9:14-29)

Belief and faith are something Jesus holds in high esteem.  He says to people who have been healed through his prayer, “Your faith has healed you.” Yet, we sympathize with the father of this boy who has seen his son suffer for such a long time.  He has some belief, or he would not have asked Jesus to intervene.

Like the father in this story, how often is our faith challenged by a lengthy illness in ourselves or a loved one that continues indefinitely without any sign of improvement, or an addiction in a loved one that no amount of prayer seems to bring under control. We pray, we fast, and we ask friends to intercede.  We read scripture that tells us, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”  (Mt. 21:22)

Yet, the illness, the addiction, or the circumstance continues.  We become fearful that our belief is not adequate.  

Seventeen years ago, I was diagnosed with an advanced and aggressive form of prostate cancer. My Gleason score, a marker measuring the severity of prostate cancer, was a nine on a scale of ten. The pathology report from surgery showed that the cancer had migrated outside the prostate into at least one lymph node.

My wife, our five children and their families, and friends prayed for me. One friend was even so bold as to push his way into the pre-op room and pray over me and the two surgeons.  After surgery, I underwent hormone therapy for three years and my PSA, a measure of the presence of prostate cancer cells, was undetectable for nine years. Then my PSA started to rise again, and a tumor was detected above my bladder in 2021.  I underwent thirty-eight sessions of proton radiation, and my PSA has now fallen below the level of recurrence in the past year.

This week will mark the seventeenth anniversary of my surgery.  While I may have had moments of wondering whether my belief was sufficient, the faithful prayers of my wife, family, and friends re-enforced that belief.  I praise God for his healing presence through prayer, and for revealing his knowledge to the medical profession for the advances in prostate cancer treatment during this period.  Like the father of the possessed son, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” 

How do you overcome your unbelief?