I heard a joke recently about a woman and her daughter who were going to a play in town. They were running a little late and were stressing about finding a parking space. Driving up and down the streets their frustration grew each moment. In desperation, the woman raised her eyes to heaven saying: “God, if only you find me a parking space, I’ll give $500 to the church next week!”. 

They turned a corner and there, lo and behold, somebody was pulling out, opening up a prime space. She turned her eyes heavenward again and said: “Never mind God, I found one”. 

It seems that when we are desperate, when we need help right now, we are quick to turn to God, and we should. The Lord promises to help us know that the Lord always loves us. God is eager  to help his people, and for his people to acknowledge their dependence on God. 

Now, do not misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong with turning to the Lord when we are desperate. People in crisis continually approached Jesus throughout his public ministry. In today’s gospel, both Jairus, the synagogue leader, and the woman with the hemorrhage come to Jesus because they had no place else to turn. Jesus acts quickly and decisively to assist them. We should never feel embarrassed or apologetic about coming to the Lord in a time of need. We should never hesitate to cry out to the Lord when we find ourselves in a crisis. In faith we believe that God will hear us and will act.

But God invites you to more than that. 

Suppose you had a friend, or maybe a neighbor, who has helped you out before. A friend in need is a friend indeed, as it is said. You might think of that friend when troubles arise, when the car won’t run, or when you need a favor. 

What if in your relationship is such that you never call your helpful friend just for a chat or to share some happy news; you never drop over or get together just to break bread together and enjoy each other’s company.  If you never shared those types of ordinary events, will you still remain friends?  Perhaps, but your friendship will not be the full relationship that both of you have a right to expect. 

Jesus our Lord is both fully God and fully human. With a human heart and a human mind, he resides in heaven. Jesus is always willing and eager and able to help us in our deepest despair and urgent problems or even danger. However, if your relationship with Jesus consists primarily of asking him for help, or maybe occasionally complaining when things don’t go your way, and  if you wait until you are desperate before turning to Jesus the Lord you are not enjoying the full relationship with him that he wants, and you need. What a wasted opportunity for true intimacy with your Lord.  

Now without a doubt God loves you. Without a doubt God is our savior, our helper, and our healer. But God wants to be even more to us than that. God has revealed God’s self as father, as mother, as lover, as friend. We know this from the revelation of scripture and even more in the revelation that is Jesus Christ. We limit our relationship with God when we approach God simply as a problem solver. Even those who don’t know God live that way.  Remember the saying “there are no atheists in foxholes” ?

We would deny God what God wants when we approach God only as a troubleshooter, only  as the healer of our ills. God wants more! God wants our love. For our own benefit, our own good, God wants us to acknowledge our dependence on him. 

Imagine how rich our relationship with God would be if we sought God’s guidance not just in times of desperation, but each and every day. If we invite God not only into our crisis, but also when life is smooth sailing and blessings are in abundance. If we could be conscious of our need for him and his presence as we face each event and each person, how much deeper, more thankful, more joyful our lives would be. That kind of living is exactly what we need.

We can find inspiration for this close relationship and friendship with God in scripture and the lives of the saints. Remember Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, Jesus’ friends that he loved to visit? In the Old Testament, Abraham is called the friend of God and so he was.  His friendship with God was based on faith.  Think of the saints who exhibited their love and intimacy with God in their daily lives. St. Faustina, for example, or Thérèse of Lisieux who developed a deep friendship with Christ, whom she saw as her only friend . Think also of humble people such as St. Isadore the Farmer or our newest blessed, Carlos Acutis. Each of these, and millions more known only to God, even today live joyfully in God’s friendship and closeness. 

So, if you are in dire need, if you are at your wit’s end, if you cannot find a parking space, then by all means call out to God for help. To believe that God will hear and help you is central to our faith. You cry out in the words of today’s responsorial psalm: “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.” (Psalm  30). 

But do not wait until you are in crisis before you turn to God. Take God with you to every moment of every day and joyfully acknowledge Him as your creator. Come to Mass frequently to break bread with him. 

God is loving you now. Claim that love today. That is what God wants. That is what we need.