Monday of the
Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 383
Lectionary: 383
Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran.
When he came upon a certain shrine, as the sun had already set,
he stopped there for the night.
Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his head
and lay down to sleep at that spot.
Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground,
with its top reaching to the heavens;
and God’s messengers were going up and down on it.
And there was the LORD standing beside him and saying:
“I, the LORD, am the God of your forefather Abraham
and the God of Isaac;
the land on which you are lying
I will give to you and your descendants.
These shall be as plentiful as the dust of the earth,
and through them you shall spread out east and west, north and south.
In you and your descendants
all the nations of the earth shall find blessing.
Know that I am with you;
I will protect you wherever you go,
and bring you back to this land.
I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you.”
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he exclaimed,
“Truly, the LORD is in this spot, although I did not know it!”
In solemn wonder he cried out: “How awesome is this shrine!
This is nothing else but an abode of God,
and that is the gateway to heaven!”
Early the next morning Jacob took the stone
that he had put under his head,
set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on top of it.
He called the site Bethel,
whereas the former name of the town had been Luz.
Jacob then made this vow: “If God remains with me,
to protect me on this journey I am making
and to give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear,
and I come back safe to my father’s house, the LORD shall be my God.
This stone that I have set up as a memorial stone shall be God’s abode.”
When he came upon a certain shrine, as the sun had already set,
he stopped there for the night.
Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his head
and lay down to sleep at that spot.
Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground,
with its top reaching to the heavens;
and God’s messengers were going up and down on it.
And there was the LORD standing beside him and saying:
“I, the LORD, am the God of your forefather Abraham
and the God of Isaac;
the land on which you are lying
I will give to you and your descendants.
These shall be as plentiful as the dust of the earth,
and through them you shall spread out east and west, north and south.
In you and your descendants
all the nations of the earth shall find blessing.
Know that I am with you;
I will protect you wherever you go,
and bring you back to this land.
I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you.”
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he exclaimed,
“Truly, the LORD is in this spot, although I did not know it!”
In solemn wonder he cried out: “How awesome is this shrine!
This is nothing else but an abode of God,
and that is the gateway to heaven!”
Early the next morning Jacob took the stone
that he had put under his head,
set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on top of it.
He called the site Bethel,
whereas the former name of the town had been Luz.
Jacob then made this vow: “If God remains with me,
to protect me on this journey I am making
and to give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear,
and I come back safe to my father’s house, the LORD shall be my God.
This stone that I have set up as a memorial stone shall be God’s abode.”
Responsorial PsalmPS 91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15AB
R. (see 2b) In you, my God, I place my trust.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destroying pestilence.
With his pinions he will cover you,
and under his wings you shall take refuge.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destroying pestilence.
With his pinions he will cover you,
and under his wings you shall take refuge.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
GospelMT 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.
Meditation:
"Take heart, your faith has made you well"
Do you take your troubles to the Lord with
expectant faith and confidence in his help? People in desperate or helpless
circumstances were not disappointed when they sought Jesus out. What drew them
to Jesus? Was it hope for a miracle or a word of comfort in their affliction?
What did the elderly woman who had suffered greatly for twelve years expect
Jesus to do for her? And what did a grieving father expect Jesus to do about
his lost beloved daughter? Jesus gave hope where there seemed to be no human
cause for it because his hope was directed to God. He spoke words of hope to
the woman (Take heart, daughter!) to ignite the spark of faith in her (your
faith has made you well!). And he also gave divine hope to a father who had
just lost a beloved child. It took considerable courage and risk for the ruler
of a synagogue to openly go to Jesus and to invite the scorn of his neighbors
and kin. Even the hired mourners laughed
at him in scorn. Their grief
was devoid of any hope. Nonetheless, Jesus took the girl by the hand and
delivered her from the grasp of death. In both instances we see Jesus' personal
concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life.In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each and every individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each person he meets. Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?
"Lord Jesus, you love each of us individually with a unique and personal love. Touch my life with your saving power, heal and restore me to fullness of life. Help me to give wholly of myself in loving service to others."
 Faith is All-Powerful |
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Monday of the
Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
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Father Edward
McIlmail, LC
Matthew 9:18-26
While Jesus was
speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My
daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will
live." Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman
suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the
tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his
cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
"Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour
the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official´s house and saw the
flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go
away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. When
the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl
arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.
Introductory Prayer: Jesus, you are my savior and redeemer; I believe that you want
to hear from me. I approach you in confidence and offer this prayer for those
who are afraid to draw near to you.
Petition: Grant me, Jesus, a deeper faith in your
power to heal me and my loved ones.
1. Awaiting Our
Move: We note that the
official´s faith moves Jesus to action. Remarkable! The Son of God
accommodates a mere creature, due to a show of faith. So often we see
problems around us and expect God to solve them without any effort on our
part. God knows our problems better than we do (cf. Matthew 6:8). Yet, he
sometimes doesn´t act until he sees an act of faith on our part. The official
showed such faith. It was extraordinary, after all, for him to approach Jesus
in front of other people and ask point-blank for a miracle. Do I have such
confidence when I approach Jesus in prayer? Is my faith strong enough to ask
him for something extraordinary?
2. Touching
Moment: The woman suffering
hemorrhages had great faith in Jesus, too. In her case, she didn´t express it
in words. Rather, she expressed it in a deed, by discreetly touching Jesus´
cloak. That kind of faith speaks volumes. It helps if our words are joined
with actions. Petitions don´t always suffice. We have to act, to move, to
leave our comfort zone, in order to approach Jesus. Prayer is good; prayer
plus action gives God even more fertile ground to work with. How can I
complement my prayer life? Can I help my pastor with a special project, for
instance?
3. Mourning Has
Broken: In Our Lord´s time
it was not uncommon to have professional mourners show up when someone died.
Jesus´ comment that the official´s daughter was merely sleeping brought
ridicule on him. Who needs mourners if the young lady is alive? We can be
like professional mourners at times, resigned to the evil and death around
us. We might throw up our hands and think we can hope for nothing better. We
might even be tempted, like the mourners, to ignore Our Lord´s reassuring
presence. We might think: "What! Me, be a saint?" Or: "Me,
called to the priesthood or consecrated life?" Or: "Do you really
expect us to handle another child right now?" Luckily for us, Christ is
undeterred. He comes to bring us life, to lead us out of sin, to make us more
generous. In a word, he comes to call us to holiness. Do I resist such a
call?
Conversation with
Christ: The official and the
suffering woman show an admirable faith. I want to have that same kind of
faith, Lord. Sometimes I feel paralyzed by my problems, so much so that I
find it hard to approach you confidently. Increase my faith and sense of
hope. Let me live as if I really believe that you rule the world.
Resolution: I will offer up a sacrifice (or a visit to
the Blessed Sacrament or an act of charity) for a special intention.
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MONDAY, JULY 8
MATTHEW 9:18-26
MATTHEW 9:18-26
(Genesis 28:10-22a; Psalm 91)
KEY VERSE: "Courage daughter! Your faith has saved you" (v 22).
READING: Matthew narrates the story of Jesus healing a woman with a hemorrhage alongside the episode of raising a young girl to life. In the first story, a bereaved synagogue official ("Jairus" in Mk 5:22, Lk 8:41) pleaded with Jesus to bring his dead daughter back to life. On the way to the official's house, Jesus was met by a woman who had suffered hemorrhages for "twelve years," as many years as Jairus' daughter had lived. The woman believed that she would be healed if she could touch the fringe (Hebrew, tzi-tzit) that was sewn on the the corners of Jesus' outer garment. These tassels were meant as a reminder to Jews to be faithful to God's Law (Nm 15:37-41). Because of her physical condition, the woman should not have touched Jesus as she was considered "unclean" according to the Law (Lev 15:19). Jesus was impressed by the the woman's courage and faith, and he restored her to full health. Arriving at the official's house, Jesus took the dead child's hand (which would also make him unclean, Nm 19:11). Her resuscitation was a sign of the new life that Jesus would offer in his resurrection. The older woman was at the point of death after twelve years of suffering and received new life in Jesus' healing. The twelve year old girl was now capable of generating life.
REFLECTING: In what ways do I need Jesus' healing touch today?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, heal me of all that defiles me.
In you, my God, I place my trust
'Be sure I am with you;'The readings for today deal with faith and trust in God's presence and goodness. Jacob clearly has a spiritual experience as he sees the ladder and the Lord standing beside him. He realises God is present. The psalmist also proclaims his trust in God, his refuge and fortress. Here we are reminded of a popular hymn which sings: 'I shall not fear the terrors of the night nor the arrow that flies by day.'
Similarly we read of the faith of Jairus and the woman who touched Jesus' cloak believing she would be healed. We too are called to sense God’s presence in our quiet prayerful moments, 'realising and relishing things interiorly' (St Ignatius), trusting that we will find a path through the maze of life's events to a transforming place of comfort and understanding.
July 8
St. Gregory Grassi and Companions
(d. 1900)
St. Gregory Grassi and Companions
(d. 1900)
Christian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire
of wars against their own countries. When the governments of Britain, Germany,
Russia and France forced substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese in
1898, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong among many Chinese people.
Gregory Grassi was born in Italy in 1833, ordained in 1856 and
sent to China five years later. Gregory was later ordained Bishop of North
Shanxi. With 14 other European missionaries and 14 Chinese religious, he was
martyred during the short but bloody Boxer Uprising of 1900.
Twenty-six of these martyrs were arrested on the orders of Yu
Hsien, the governor of Shanxi province. They were hacked to death on July 9,
1900. Five of them were Friars Minor; seven were Franciscan Missionaries of
Mary — the first martyrs of their congregation. Seven were Chinese seminarians
and Secular Franciscans; four martyrs were Chinese laymen and Secular
Franciscans. The other three Chinese laymen killed in Shanxi simply worked for
the Franciscans and were rounded up with all the others. Three Italian
Franciscans were martyred that same week in the province of Hunan. All these
martyrs were beatified in 1946 and were among teh 120 martyrs canonized in 2000.
Comment:
Martyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout China during the Boxer Uprising, five bishops, 50 priests, two brothers, 15 sisters and 40,000 Chinese Christians were killed. The 146,575 Catholics served by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303,760 by 1924 and were served by 282 Franciscans and 174 local priests. Great sacrifices often bring great results.
Martyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout China during the Boxer Uprising, five bishops, 50 priests, two brothers, 15 sisters and 40,000 Chinese Christians were killed. The 146,575 Catholics served by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303,760 by 1924 and were served by 282 Franciscans and 174 local priests. Great sacrifices often bring great results.
Quote:
"Martyrdom is part of the Church's nature since it manifests Christian death in its pure form, as the death of unrestrained faith, which is otherwise hidden in the ambivalence of all human events. Through martyrdom the Church's holiness, instead of remaining purely subjective, achieves by God's grace the visible expression it needs. As early as the second century one who accepted death for the sake of Christian faith or Christian morals was looked on and revered as a 'martus' (witness). The term is scriptural in that Jesus Christ is the 'faithful witness' absolutely (Revelations 1:5; 3:14)" (Karl Rahner, Theological Dictionary, volume 2, pp. 108-09).
"Martyrdom is part of the Church's nature since it manifests Christian death in its pure form, as the death of unrestrained faith, which is otherwise hidden in the ambivalence of all human events. Through martyrdom the Church's holiness, instead of remaining purely subjective, achieves by God's grace the visible expression it needs. As early as the second century one who accepted death for the sake of Christian faith or Christian morals was looked on and revered as a 'martus' (witness). The term is scriptural in that Jesus Christ is the 'faithful witness' absolutely (Revelations 1:5; 3:14)" (Karl Rahner, Theological Dictionary, volume 2, pp. 108-09).
LECTIO: MATTHEW 9,18-26
Lectio:
Monday, July 8,
2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
through the obedience of Jesus,
your servant and your Son,
you raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
through the obedience of Jesus,
your servant and your Son,
you raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading -
Matthew 9,18-26
While Jesus was speaking
to them, suddenly one of the officials came up, who bowed low in front of him
and said, 'My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her
life will be saved.' Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him.
Then suddenly from behind him came a woman, who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was thinking, 'If only I can touch his cloak I shall be saved.' Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, 'Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.' And from that moment the woman was saved.
When Jesus reached the official's house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion, he said, 'Get out of here; the little girl is not dead; she is asleep.' And they ridiculed him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took her by the hand; and she stood up. And the news of this spread all round the countryside.
Then suddenly from behind him came a woman, who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was thinking, 'If only I can touch his cloak I shall be saved.' Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, 'Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.' And from that moment the woman was saved.
When Jesus reached the official's house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion, he said, 'Get out of here; the little girl is not dead; she is asleep.' And they ridiculed him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took her by the hand; and she stood up. And the news of this spread all round the countryside.
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel takes
us to meditate on two miracles of Jesus. The first one was in favour of a
woman considered unclean because of an irregular haemorrhage which had been
lasting for more than twelve years. The second one in favour of a girl
who had just died. According to the mentality of that time, the person who
touched blood or a corpse or dead body was considered unclean and whoever
touched that person became unclean. Blood and death were factors of
exclusion! This is why those two women were marginalized persons,
excluded from the participation in the community. Whoever touched them
became unclean, and therefore, would not be able to participate in the
community, and therefore, could not relate with God. In order to be
admitted to participate fully in the community, it was necessary to go through
the rite of purification, prescribed by the norms of the law. Now, when curing
the impurity of the woman, through faith, Jesus opens a new path toward God
which does not depend anymore on the rites of purification, controlled by the
priests. In resurrecting the girl, Jesus conquers the power of death and opens
a new horizon to life.
• Matthew 9, 18-19: The death of the little girl. When Jesus was still speaking, behold an official of the place came to intercede for his daughter who has just died. He asks Jesus to go to impose his hands on her and, “she will live”. The official thinks that Jesus has the power to make his daughter rise from the dead. This is a sign of much faith in Jesus on the part of the father of the little girl. Jesus rises and goes with him, taking only his disciples. This is the starting point of both episodes which follow: the cure of the woman who had been suffering for the past twelve years from a haemorrhage, and the resurrection of the little girl. The Gospel of Mark presents both of these episodes, but with many details: the official was called Jarius and he was the president of the Synagogue. The little girl was not dead as yet, and she was twelve years old, etc. (Mk 5, 21-43). Matthew gives a briefer narration of the very lively one of Mark.
• Matthew 9, 20-21: The situation of the woman. While they were on the way to the official’s house, a woman who had been suffering for twelve years because of a irregular haemorrhage got close to Jesus seeking to be cured. Twelve years with a haemorrhage! This is why she was marginalized, excluded, because as we have said, at that time blood rendered the person impure. Mark says that the woman had spent all she had with doctors, but instead of improving her situation had become worse (Mk 5, 25-26) But she had heard some speak about Jesus (Mk 5, 27). This is why a new hope sprang in her. She told herself: “If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved”. The catechism of that time said: “If I touch his clothes I will remain impure”. The woman thinks exatly the contrary! This was a sign of great courage! A sign also that women were not in agreement with everything that the religious authority taught. The teaching of the Pharisees and of the Scribes did not succeed to control the thinking of the people. Thank God! The woman got close to Jesus from behind, she touched the end of his cloak and she was cured.
• Matthew 9, 22. The word of Jesus which enlightens. Jesus turns and seeing the woman declares: “Courage, my daughter your faith has saved you”. A brief phrase, but which makes us see three very important points: (1) In saying “my daughter”, Jesus accepts the woman in the new community which has formed around him. She was no longer excluded. (2) What she expected and believed takes place in fact. She was cured. This proofs that the catechism of the religious authority was not correct and that in Jesus was opened a new path which gave people the possibility of obtaining the purity which the law demanded and also to enter into contact with God. (3) Jesus recognizes that without the faith of this woman, He would not have been able to work the miracle. The cure was not a magic rite, but an act of faith.
• Matthew 9, 23-24: In the house of the official. After that Jesus goes to the house of the official. Seeing the agitation of those who were mourning because of the death of the little girl, he asks everybody to get out from the room. And he says: “The little girl is not dead, she is sleeping!” People laugh, because they know how to distinguish when a person sleeps or when she is dead. Death was for them a barrier that nobody could go beyond. It is the laughter of Abraham and of Sarah, that is, of those who do not succeed to believe that nothing is impossible for God (Gn 17, 17; 18, 12-14; Lk 1, 27). The words of Jesus still have a very deep significance. The situation of the communities at the time of Matthew seemed to be in a situation of death. Even though they heard said, “It is not death, you are asleep! Wake up!”
• Matthew 9, 25-26: The resurrection of the little girl. Jesus does not give any importance to the laughter of the people. He waits for everyone to get out of the house. Then he enters, takes the little girl by the hand and she gets us. Mark keeps the words of Jesus: “Talita kúmi!” which mean: “Little girl, I tell you to get up!” (Mk 5,41). The news spread throughout that region. The people believed that Jesus is the Lord of life who overcomes death.
• Matthew 9, 18-19: The death of the little girl. When Jesus was still speaking, behold an official of the place came to intercede for his daughter who has just died. He asks Jesus to go to impose his hands on her and, “she will live”. The official thinks that Jesus has the power to make his daughter rise from the dead. This is a sign of much faith in Jesus on the part of the father of the little girl. Jesus rises and goes with him, taking only his disciples. This is the starting point of both episodes which follow: the cure of the woman who had been suffering for the past twelve years from a haemorrhage, and the resurrection of the little girl. The Gospel of Mark presents both of these episodes, but with many details: the official was called Jarius and he was the president of the Synagogue. The little girl was not dead as yet, and she was twelve years old, etc. (Mk 5, 21-43). Matthew gives a briefer narration of the very lively one of Mark.
• Matthew 9, 20-21: The situation of the woman. While they were on the way to the official’s house, a woman who had been suffering for twelve years because of a irregular haemorrhage got close to Jesus seeking to be cured. Twelve years with a haemorrhage! This is why she was marginalized, excluded, because as we have said, at that time blood rendered the person impure. Mark says that the woman had spent all she had with doctors, but instead of improving her situation had become worse (Mk 5, 25-26) But she had heard some speak about Jesus (Mk 5, 27). This is why a new hope sprang in her. She told herself: “If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved”. The catechism of that time said: “If I touch his clothes I will remain impure”. The woman thinks exatly the contrary! This was a sign of great courage! A sign also that women were not in agreement with everything that the religious authority taught. The teaching of the Pharisees and of the Scribes did not succeed to control the thinking of the people. Thank God! The woman got close to Jesus from behind, she touched the end of his cloak and she was cured.
• Matthew 9, 22. The word of Jesus which enlightens. Jesus turns and seeing the woman declares: “Courage, my daughter your faith has saved you”. A brief phrase, but which makes us see three very important points: (1) In saying “my daughter”, Jesus accepts the woman in the new community which has formed around him. She was no longer excluded. (2) What she expected and believed takes place in fact. She was cured. This proofs that the catechism of the religious authority was not correct and that in Jesus was opened a new path which gave people the possibility of obtaining the purity which the law demanded and also to enter into contact with God. (3) Jesus recognizes that without the faith of this woman, He would not have been able to work the miracle. The cure was not a magic rite, but an act of faith.
• Matthew 9, 23-24: In the house of the official. After that Jesus goes to the house of the official. Seeing the agitation of those who were mourning because of the death of the little girl, he asks everybody to get out from the room. And he says: “The little girl is not dead, she is sleeping!” People laugh, because they know how to distinguish when a person sleeps or when she is dead. Death was for them a barrier that nobody could go beyond. It is the laughter of Abraham and of Sarah, that is, of those who do not succeed to believe that nothing is impossible for God (Gn 17, 17; 18, 12-14; Lk 1, 27). The words of Jesus still have a very deep significance. The situation of the communities at the time of Matthew seemed to be in a situation of death. Even though they heard said, “It is not death, you are asleep! Wake up!”
• Matthew 9, 25-26: The resurrection of the little girl. Jesus does not give any importance to the laughter of the people. He waits for everyone to get out of the house. Then he enters, takes the little girl by the hand and she gets us. Mark keeps the words of Jesus: “Talita kúmi!” which mean: “Little girl, I tell you to get up!” (Mk 5,41). The news spread throughout that region. The people believed that Jesus is the Lord of life who overcomes death.
4) Personal questions
• Today, which are the
categories of persons who feel excluded from participating in the Christian
community? Which are the factors which cause the exclusion of so many persons
and render life difficult for them in the family and in society?
• “The little girl is not dead. She sleeps!” “She is not dead! You are sleeping! Wake up! This is the message of today’s Gospel. What does it tell me? Am I one of those who laugh?
• “The little girl is not dead. She sleeps!” “She is not dead! You are sleeping! Wake up! This is the message of today’s Gospel. What does it tell me? Am I one of those who laugh?
5) Concluding Prayer
I shall praise you to
the heights, God my King,
I shall bless your name for ever and ever.
Day after day I shall bless you,
I shall praise your name for ever and ever. (Ps 145,1-2)
I shall bless your name for ever and ever.
Day after day I shall bless you,
I shall praise your name for ever and ever. (Ps 145,1-2)
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