Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 324
Lectionary: 324
Absalom unexpectedly came up against David’s servants.
He was mounted on a mule,
and, as the mule passed under the branches of a large terebinth,
his hair caught fast in the tree.
He hung between heaven and earth
while the mule he had been riding ran off.
Someone saw this and reported to Joab
that he had seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.
And taking three pikes in hand,
he thrust for the heart of Absalom,
still hanging from the tree alive.
Now David was sitting between the two gates,
and a lookout went up to the roof of the gate above the city wall,
where he looked about and saw a man running all alone.
The lookout shouted to inform the king, who said,
“If he is alone, he has good news to report.”
The king said, “Step aside and remain in attendance here.”
So he stepped aside and remained there.
When the Cushite messenger came in, he said,
“Let my lord the king receive the good news
that this day the LORD has taken your part,
freeing you from the grasp of all who rebelled against you.”
But the king asked the Cushite, “Is young Absalom safe?”
The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king
and all who rebel against you with evil intent
be as that young man!”
The king was shaken,
and went up to the room over the city gate to weep.
He said as he wept,
“My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!”
Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom;
and that day’s victory was turned into mourning for the whole army
when they heard that the king was grieving for his son.
He was mounted on a mule,
and, as the mule passed under the branches of a large terebinth,
his hair caught fast in the tree.
He hung between heaven and earth
while the mule he had been riding ran off.
Someone saw this and reported to Joab
that he had seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.
And taking three pikes in hand,
he thrust for the heart of Absalom,
still hanging from the tree alive.
Now David was sitting between the two gates,
and a lookout went up to the roof of the gate above the city wall,
where he looked about and saw a man running all alone.
The lookout shouted to inform the king, who said,
“If he is alone, he has good news to report.”
The king said, “Step aside and remain in attendance here.”
So he stepped aside and remained there.
When the Cushite messenger came in, he said,
“Let my lord the king receive the good news
that this day the LORD has taken your part,
freeing you from the grasp of all who rebelled against you.”
But the king asked the Cushite, “Is young Absalom safe?”
The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king
and all who rebel against you with evil intent
be as that young man!”
The king was shaken,
and went up to the room over the city gate to weep.
He said as he wept,
“My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!”
Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom;
and that day’s victory was turned into mourning for the whole army
when they heard that the king was grieving for his son.
Responsorial Psalm PS 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (1a) Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me,
for I am afflicted and poor.
Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me,
for I am afflicted and poor.
Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Gospel MK
5:21-43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”
He went off with him
and a large crowd followed him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”
But his disciples said to him,
“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?”
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,
“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child’s father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”
He went off with him
and a large crowd followed him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”
But his disciples said to him,
“You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?”
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,
“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child’s father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.
Meditation: "I shall be made well"
Do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith or with
skeptical doubt? 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 miserably for twelve years expect Jesus to do for her?
And what did a grieving father expect Jesus to do for his beloved daughter who
was at the point of death? 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!).
Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), an early church Scripture
scholar and author of hymns and commentaries, reflected on the miracle of the
woman who was healed of her flow of blood:
“Glory to you, hidden Son of God, because your healing power is
proclaimed through the hidden suffering of the afflicted woman. Through this
woman whom they could see, the witnesses were enabled to behold the divinity
that cannot be seen. Through the Son’s own healing power his divinity became
known. Through the afflicted women’s being healed her faith was made manifest.
She caused him to be proclaimed, and indeed was honored with him. For truth was
being proclaimed together with its heralds. If she was a witness to his
divinity, he in turn was a witness to her faith... He saw through to her hidden
faith, and gave her a visible healing.”
Jesus also gave supernatural 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 scornfully at Jesus. Their grief was
devoid of any hope. Nonetheless, Jesus took the girl by the hand and delivered
her from the grasp of death. Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD), an early church
father who was renowned for his preaching at Ravenna, comments on this miracle:
“This man was a ruler of the synagogue, and versed in the law.
He had surely read that while God created all other things by his word, man had
been created by the hand of God. He trusted therefore in God that his daughter
would be recreated, and restored to life by that same hand which, he knew, had
created her... He [Jesus] who laid hands on her to form her from nothing, once
more lays hands upon her to reform her from what had perished.”
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."
 Touched by Faith |
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Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
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Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had crossed again (in the boat) to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the
synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his
feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the
point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and
live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed
upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She
had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she
had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus
and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said,
"If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her
flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her
affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned
around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his
disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and
yet you ask, ´Who touched me?´" And he looked around to see who had done
it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and
trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said
to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of
your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the
synagogue official´s house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why
trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was
reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just
have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except
Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house
of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and
wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this
commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they
ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child´s father and
mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha
koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl,
a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (At that) they were
utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and
said that she should be given something to eat.
Introductory Prayer: Lord,
who should I turn to first but you? You have given me another day. This gift
calls me to come to you first, to hear you first. My faith tells me there can
be nothing better than to follow your plan; my hope is to bring you into my
life and to other people; my love wants to be fuller and better — it wants to
be like yours, Lord.
Petition: Grant me
the grace of deeper trust and faith in all moments of hardship.
1. “…afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.” When
problems are prolonged, or reach fever-pitch levels, we can get the mistaken
impression that God has lost interest. Somehow he seems no longer moved
by our misery. All the signs say he has forgotten us, abandoned us and
left us hanging.
But God is only seemingly absent. He is creating a new set of circumstances wherein we can experience him at a wholly new level. The long, hard and persevering fight to walk in hope enables God to bring about greater fruits of holiness in us. In the woman with the hemorrhage and in Jairus, father of a dying daughter, we must contemplate a mature and vibrant faith, observing how it conquers pessimism and transcends the cold calculations and superficial tones of their peers. Truly this is the first miracle we see that Jesus has worked for them, and the most important one.
2. “And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out.” The
dismal voices of his “friends” come to the father. Though they have seen the
miracle of the woman with the hemorrhage, they coldly say, “Your daughter is
dead. Be realistic. It is no use to go on.” True, in the name of realism, we
can dismiss hope and cooperation with Christ’s action in our life. We can
ridicule Christ whenever he wants to work in mystery and outside our human
limits. We can be tempted to abandon trust in God in the name of reaffirming
control over our world. “Let’s be realistic,” we say. “It will never work.”
These phrases veil a weak faith, a poor faith, a sterile or
compartmentalized faith that works only when everything makes sense to us,
when everything is easy. Where there is this lack of faith, Christ cannot
work.
3. “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Many
say they are near Christ, yet few are acknowledged by Christ as close to him.
Many were brushing against him that day, many were verbally praising him,
many were serving him, but only one touched him and got his full attention.
Why? Only one made an act of unconditional faith. What is the secret? How can
we really get his attention, truly speak to his heart? None
are closer than those who trust him, who humbly depend on
him, and who wish to live from him. The woman’s unconditional faith was open
to whatever would happen, whatever would be Christ’s response. Those
who suffer and support themselves patiently with faith and prayer experience
new levels of union with Christ.
Conversation with Christ: Lord
let me use hardships to build newer levels of trust and intimacy with you.
Open my heart to seek you on your terms.
I do not ask you for happiness or sorrow, Health or sickness, Riches or poverty, Freedom or slavery, Goods or evils; For goods are misfortunes if you do not come with them, And misfortunes are goods if they arrive with you. For goods without you, what good would they be? And misfortunes with you, are they not the best goods?
Resolution: I will
acknowledge the presence of Christ in all the difficulties of today.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, MARK 5:21-43
(2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30--19:3; Psalm 86)
(2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30--19:3; Psalm 86)
KEY VERSE: "Fear is useless; what is needed is trust" (v 36).
READING: In the midst of a busy day of ministry, Jesus received two urgent requests for healing. The first came from Jairus, an official of the local synagogue who pleaded with Jesus to come to his house and heal his critically ill daughter. While Jesus was on his way, a woman with a hemorrhage followed him, hoping to be cured. Although her condition prohibited her from having contact with anyone in public (Lv 15:19), she reached out in desperation, touching one of the four tassels on the hem of Jesus' outer garment. These tassels (Hebrew, tzi-tzit) reminded Jews of their duty to obey the laws of the covenant (Num 15:38-40). In an instant, a surge of power went out from Jesus and the woman was healed. Jesus assured the frightened woman that her faith had made her whole. At that moment, Jairus was informed that his daughter had died. Jesus told the distraught father not to be afraid, but to have faith. When they arrived at Jairus' home, Jesus took the little girl by the hand and raised her to new life. The child was twelve years old, the marriageable age of a girl at that time, and the same number of years that the woman was afflicted by a hemorrhage. Jesus restored both to fullness of life.
REFLECTING: When I need healing, do I plead like Jairus or do I reach out in silence like the unnamed woman?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to encourage others to come to you for healing.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
It’s Your Choice
We can grow bitter when loss strikes our lives. Or, we can use our
pain to better the lives of others, with the help of Christ. The choice is ours.
Listen, Lord, and answer me
‘Do not be afraid: only believe.’The Latin phrase, Noli timere, ego sum, travels with me most days, especially when I am anxious—‘Do not be afraid I am with you.’ My problems do not dissolve, but I am more at peace with my part in the difficulty. Jesus is a patient guide. It takes courage to acknowledge the need for help, and we are moved by the approaches of the sick woman and Jairus, neither of whom were acquaintances of Jesus. He recognised his own healing power amidst the clutter of noise and the querulousness of the crowd. Jesus’ perceptive love moved through the tumult and reached out to Jairus: ‘Do not be afraid: only believe.’ This was a holy, joyful moment for the family at this gentle restoring of life in their little child. We ask Jesus to move alongside our families, guiding them to live full and generous lives.
February 4
St. Joseph of Leonissa
(1556-1612)
St. Joseph of Leonissa
(1556-1612)
Joseph avoided the safe compromises by which people sometimes
undercut the gospel. Born at Leonissa in the Kingdom of Naples, Joseph joined
the Capuchins in his hometown in 1573. Denying himself hearty meals and comfortable
quarters, he prepared for ordination and a life of preaching.
In 1587 he went to Constantinople to take care of the Christian
galley slaves working under Turkish masters. Imprisoned for this work, he was
warned not to resume it on his release. He did and was again imprisoned and
then condemned to death. Miraculously freed, he returned to Italy where he
preached to the poor and reconciled feuding families as well as warring cities
which had been at odds for years. He was canonized in 1746.
Comment:
Saints often jar us because they challenge our ideas about what we need for "the good life." "I’ll be happy when. . . ," we may say, wasting an incredible amount of time on the periphery of life. People like Joseph of Leonissa challenge us to face life courageously and get to the heart of it: life with God. Joseph was a compelling preacher because his life was as convincing as his words.
Saints often jar us because they challenge our ideas about what we need for "the good life." "I’ll be happy when. . . ," we may say, wasting an incredible amount of time on the periphery of life. People like Joseph of Leonissa challenge us to face life courageously and get to the heart of it: life with God. Joseph was a compelling preacher because his life was as convincing as his words.
Quote:
In one of his sermons, Joseph says: "Every Christian must be a living book wherein one can read the teaching of the gospel. This is what St. Paul says to the Corinthians, ‘Clearly you are a letter of Christ which I have delivered, a letter written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh in the heart’ (2 Corinthians 3:3). Our heart is the parchment; through my ministry the Holy Spirit is the writer because ‘my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe’ (Psalm 45:1)
In one of his sermons, Joseph says: "Every Christian must be a living book wherein one can read the teaching of the gospel. This is what St. Paul says to the Corinthians, ‘Clearly you are a letter of Christ which I have delivered, a letter written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh in the heart’ (2 Corinthians 3:3). Our heart is the parchment; through my ministry the Holy Spirit is the writer because ‘my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe’ (Psalm 45:1)
LECTIO DIVINA:
MARK 5, 21-43
Lectio:
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
help us to love you with all our hearts
and to love all men as you love them.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
on God, for ever and ever. Amen.
help us to love you with all our hearts
and to love all men as you love them.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
on God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Mark 5, 21-43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a
large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lake. Then the president of
the synagogue came up, named Jairus, and seeing him, fell at his feet and
begged him earnestly, saying, 'My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come
and lay your hands on her that she may be saved and may live.' Jesus went with
him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him.
Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she had spent all she had without being any the better for it; in fact, she was getting worse. She had heard about Jesus, and she came up through the crowd and touched his cloak from behind, thinking, 'If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved.'
And at once the source of the bleeding dried up, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. And at once aware of the power that had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, 'Who touched my clothes?' His disciples said to him, 'You see how the crowd is pressing round you; how can you ask, "Who touched me?"' But he continued to look all round to see who had done it. Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. 'My daughter,' he said, 'your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free of your complaint.'
While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the president of the synagogue to say, 'Your daughter is dead; why put the Master to any further trouble?' But Jesus overheard what they said and he said to the president of the synagogue, 'Do not be afraid; only have faith.' And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. So they came to the house of the president of the synagogue, and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. He went in and said to them, 'Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.' But they ridiculed him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child's father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her, 'Talitha kum!' which means, 'Little girl, I tell you to get up.' The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At once they were overcome with astonishment, and he gave them strict orders not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.
Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; after long and painful treatment under various doctors, she had spent all she had without being any the better for it; in fact, she was getting worse. She had heard about Jesus, and she came up through the crowd and touched his cloak from behind, thinking, 'If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved.'
And at once the source of the bleeding dried up, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. And at once aware of the power that had gone out from him, Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, 'Who touched my clothes?' His disciples said to him, 'You see how the crowd is pressing round you; how can you ask, "Who touched me?"' But he continued to look all round to see who had done it. Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. 'My daughter,' he said, 'your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free of your complaint.'
While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the president of the synagogue to say, 'Your daughter is dead; why put the Master to any further trouble?' But Jesus overheard what they said and he said to the president of the synagogue, 'Do not be afraid; only have faith.' And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. So they came to the house of the president of the synagogue, and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. He went in and said to them, 'Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.' But they ridiculed him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child's father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her, 'Talitha kum!' which means, 'Little girl, I tell you to get up.' The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At once they were overcome with astonishment, and he gave them strict orders not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.
3) Reflection
• In today’s Gospel, we meditate on two miracles which Jesus
worked in favour of two women. The first one for a woman who was considered
impure because of the haemorrhage which she was suffering from for the past 12
years. The other one, for a girl, twelve years old, who had expired a short
time before. According to the mentality of the time, anybody who would touch
the blood or a corpse was considered impure. Blood and death were factors of
exclusion! Because of this, those two women were marginalized persons, excluded
from the participation in the community.
• The starting point. Jesus arrives in the boat. The people join him. Jairus, the head of the Synagogue, asks help for his daughter who is dying. Jesus goes with him and the people accompany him, pushing on all sides. This is the starting point of the two cases of healing which follow: the cure of the woman and the resurrection of the 12 year old girl.
• The situation of the woman. Twelve years suffering from haemorrhage! For this reason she lived excluded, because at that time, blood rendered persons impure, and the one who touched them became impure also. Mark says that the woman had spent all she had with doctors. And instead of becoming better, she got worse. A situation without a solution!
• The attitude of the woman. She heard people speak about Jesus. Hope sprang in her. She told herself: “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be saved”. The catechism of the time said: “If I touch his cloak, he will become impure”. The woman thinks exactly the contrary! This is a sign that women did not agree with all this that religious authority taught. The woman gets in through the crowd, in the midst of the people, and without being noticed, she touches Jesus, because everybody touched him and pushed him. At that same moment she noticed in her body that she had been cured.
• The reaction of Jesus and that of the disciples. Jesus also aware of the power that had gone out from him asked: “Who touched my clothes?”. The disciples said to him: “You see how the crowd is pressing round you; how can you ask, who touched me?” So here appears the clash between Jesus and the disciples. Jesus had a sensibility which the disciples did not perceive. The disciples reacted like everybody else and they did not understand the different reaction of Jesus. But Jesus did not pay attention and continued to investigate, to inquire.
• Healing through faith. The woman became aware that she had been discovered. It was a difficult and dangerous moment for her. Because according to the belief of the time, an impure person, who like herself got in among the people, contaminated everyone who touched her. And all would become impure before God (Lv) (Lk 15, 19-30). For this reason the punishment was the possible stoning. But the woman had the courage to assume the consequences of what she had done. But the woman “frightened and trembling” fell at Jesus’ feet and told him the whole truth. Jesus says the last word: “My daughter, your faith has restored you to health, go in peace and be free of your complaint”.
(a) “Daughter”, with this word Jesus accepts the woman into the new family, into the community, which was gathering together around him. (b) What she thought became a reality. (c) Jesus acknowledges that without the faith of that woman, he would not have been able to work the miracle.
• The news of the death of the little girl. At that moment some people arrived from the house of Jairus to inform him that his daughter had died. It was no longer necessary to disturb Jesus. For them, death was the great barrier. Jesus will not be able to overcome death! Jesus listens, looks at Jairus, and applies what he had just seen, that is, that faith is capable to realize what the person believes. And he says: “Do not be afraid, only have faith!”
• In Jairus’ house. Jesus allows only three of his disciples to go with him. Seeing the commotion of the people weeping and wailing because of the death of the child, he said: “The child is not dead, she sleeps!” People around laughed . People know how to distinguish when a person is sleeping and when the person is dead. It is the same laughter of Abraham and of Sarah, that is of those who are unable to believe that nothing is impossible for God (Gn 17, 17; 18, 12-14; Lk 1, 37). For them also, death was a barrier which nobody could overcome, go beyond! The words of Jesus had a very profound meaning. The situation of the persecuted communities at the time of Mark seemed to be a situation of death. They had to hear: “She is not dead! You are sleeping! Wake up!” Jesus does not pay attention to the laughter and enters into the room where the child is, alone, with the three disciples and the parents of the child.
• The resurrection of the child. Jesus takes the child by the hand and says: “Talita kum!” She rises. Great commotion! Jesus keeps calm and asks that they give her something to eat. Two women are cured! One is twelve years old, of life, the other one twelve years of haemorrhage, twelve years of exclusion! The exclusion of the child begins at twelve years of age, because her menstruation begins, she begins to die! Jesus has the greatest power and resurrects: “Get up!”
• The starting point. Jesus arrives in the boat. The people join him. Jairus, the head of the Synagogue, asks help for his daughter who is dying. Jesus goes with him and the people accompany him, pushing on all sides. This is the starting point of the two cases of healing which follow: the cure of the woman and the resurrection of the 12 year old girl.
• The situation of the woman. Twelve years suffering from haemorrhage! For this reason she lived excluded, because at that time, blood rendered persons impure, and the one who touched them became impure also. Mark says that the woman had spent all she had with doctors. And instead of becoming better, she got worse. A situation without a solution!
• The attitude of the woman. She heard people speak about Jesus. Hope sprang in her. She told herself: “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be saved”. The catechism of the time said: “If I touch his cloak, he will become impure”. The woman thinks exactly the contrary! This is a sign that women did not agree with all this that religious authority taught. The woman gets in through the crowd, in the midst of the people, and without being noticed, she touches Jesus, because everybody touched him and pushed him. At that same moment she noticed in her body that she had been cured.
• The reaction of Jesus and that of the disciples. Jesus also aware of the power that had gone out from him asked: “Who touched my clothes?”. The disciples said to him: “You see how the crowd is pressing round you; how can you ask, who touched me?” So here appears the clash between Jesus and the disciples. Jesus had a sensibility which the disciples did not perceive. The disciples reacted like everybody else and they did not understand the different reaction of Jesus. But Jesus did not pay attention and continued to investigate, to inquire.
• Healing through faith. The woman became aware that she had been discovered. It was a difficult and dangerous moment for her. Because according to the belief of the time, an impure person, who like herself got in among the people, contaminated everyone who touched her. And all would become impure before God (Lv) (Lk 15, 19-30). For this reason the punishment was the possible stoning. But the woman had the courage to assume the consequences of what she had done. But the woman “frightened and trembling” fell at Jesus’ feet and told him the whole truth. Jesus says the last word: “My daughter, your faith has restored you to health, go in peace and be free of your complaint”.
(a) “Daughter”, with this word Jesus accepts the woman into the new family, into the community, which was gathering together around him. (b) What she thought became a reality. (c) Jesus acknowledges that without the faith of that woman, he would not have been able to work the miracle.
• The news of the death of the little girl. At that moment some people arrived from the house of Jairus to inform him that his daughter had died. It was no longer necessary to disturb Jesus. For them, death was the great barrier. Jesus will not be able to overcome death! Jesus listens, looks at Jairus, and applies what he had just seen, that is, that faith is capable to realize what the person believes. And he says: “Do not be afraid, only have faith!”
• In Jairus’ house. Jesus allows only three of his disciples to go with him. Seeing the commotion of the people weeping and wailing because of the death of the child, he said: “The child is not dead, she sleeps!” People around laughed . People know how to distinguish when a person is sleeping and when the person is dead. It is the same laughter of Abraham and of Sarah, that is of those who are unable to believe that nothing is impossible for God (Gn 17, 17; 18, 12-14; Lk 1, 37). For them also, death was a barrier which nobody could overcome, go beyond! The words of Jesus had a very profound meaning. The situation of the persecuted communities at the time of Mark seemed to be a situation of death. They had to hear: “She is not dead! You are sleeping! Wake up!” Jesus does not pay attention to the laughter and enters into the room where the child is, alone, with the three disciples and the parents of the child.
• The resurrection of the child. Jesus takes the child by the hand and says: “Talita kum!” She rises. Great commotion! Jesus keeps calm and asks that they give her something to eat. Two women are cured! One is twelve years old, of life, the other one twelve years of haemorrhage, twelve years of exclusion! The exclusion of the child begins at twelve years of age, because her menstruation begins, she begins to die! Jesus has the greatest power and resurrects: “Get up!”
4) Personal questions
• Which is the point in this text which pleased you or struck
you the most? Why?
• One of the women was cured and once again integrated so that she could live in the community. A child was raised from her death bed. What does this action of Jesus teach us for our life in the family and for our community today?
• One of the women was cured and once again integrated so that she could live in the community. A child was raised from her death bed. What does this action of Jesus teach us for our life in the family and for our community today?
5) Concluding Prayer
Of you is my praise in the thronged assembly,
I will perform my vows before all who fear him.
The poor will eat and be filled,
those who seek Yahweh will praise him,
'May your heart live for ever.' (Ps 22,25-26)
I will perform my vows before all who fear him.
The poor will eat and be filled,
those who seek Yahweh will praise him,
'May your heart live for ever.' (Ps 22,25-26)
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