Fr. Ryan Lerner, Chaplain
At daily Mass these last few days we have been listening to Luke’s Gospel account of Jesus’s ministry in Capernaum. Jesus's encounters with demons, sickness, and unclean spirits remind us of his power to heal and to restore peace. People are “astonished” because when Jesus speaks, He speaks with authority. When Jesus speaks, scribes and pharisees are humbled, demons flee, sickness subsides, and calm is restored. But we must listen to His word and accept His authority, especially in those moments when it’s hard to hear Jesus’s voice, or to let go, and trust Him.
While reflecting on my run during the New Haven Half Marathon on Monday, I was thinking about this. About halfway through, on the streets of Fair Haven, I felt the gap between me and the pack ahead widening. Panic started to creep in as my mind fixated on the distance, and I found myself pushing too hard, losing control, and risking burnout. For several strides, I lost my rhythm. In those moments, it's easy for anxiety to creep in—when we're falling behind or doubting whether we're truly up to the challenge.
That’s when I recalled the two scriptures we prayed together during the Blessing of the Runners on the Chapel steps before the race. “Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and protector of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). “They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary” (Isaiah 40:31). As I refocused on Christ rather than the runners ahead, I felt my anxiety dissipate, and a renewed sense of calm and confidence take over. It was like a rebuke to the doubts that had taken root in my heart, which, even if just for a few strides, could have been disastrous.
Recently, one of our alums sent me a clip the movie Inside Out 2 where Riley has an anxiety attack while playing hockey. Joy steps in, rebuking Anxiety to restore peace to Riley's mind. That moment of calm, when everything slows down and Riley is able to breathe again, parallels what Jesus does for us. He steps in when we are overwhelmed, when anxiety has taken hold, and brings us back to the truth: that we are loved, that we are good, whole and grounded in God, who is stronger than any demon or unclean spirit that besets us.
Running, like life, is full of moments where we lose sight of that peace. Our minds fixate on things we can’t control – our discomfort, the difficulty of the course, or our position relative to others. But Jesus reminds us that our focus should be on him, the one who alleviates our fears and brings us back to the steady pace he sets for us.
So, as we run through this week, let’s keep our eyes fixed on Christ, who rebukes our fears and doubts, and restores the peace we sometimes forget is already ours.
