What can a goofy looking, fictitious mascot who served as the cover boy for a popular, 72-year old humor magazine teach us about faith?  A lot, and in only three words.

Alfred E. Neuman was the face of MAD Magazine, appearing on all but a scarce few covers of the magazine. The magazine was full of irreverent humor, and I loved it as a kid. It has probably been 50 years since I read an issue. Neuman’s famous line speaks to faith:  “What, me worry?”

Of course, his famous line was not spoken as a message about faith, but the words hold true for those with faith, hope and charity. I believe we can see God’s messages in a wide variety of people, places, events and interactions.

There are various statistics for how many times the Bible encourages people to fear not. The exact number matters less than the fact that we are encouraged to not be afraid despite living in a world that provides plenty of reasons to be so. Faith, hope and a life of charity make it possible, though easier said than done…and that is okay. We must trust and persist.