Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Lectionary: 324
Lectionary: 324
Brothers and sisters:
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us
and persevere in running the race that lies before us
while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,
the leader and perfecter of faith.
For the sake of the joy that lay before him
Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners,
in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us
and persevere in running the race that lies before us
while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,
the leader and perfecter of faith.
For the sake of the joy that lay before him
Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners,
in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 22:26B-27, 28 AND 30,
31-32
R. (see 27b) They
will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts be ever merry!"
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
All the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
Before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your hearts be ever merry!"
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
All the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth;
Before him shall bend
all who go down into the dust.
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.
AlleluiaMT 8:17
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 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.
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.
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Agatha, please go here.
Meditation:
The
woman who took heart in Jesus
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!).
Expectant
faith believes in Jesus' power to act in our lives today
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:
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."
The
Lord Jesus will touch each of us with his healing hands of love and mercy
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 Ravena, comments on this miracle:
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 Ravena, 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."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The long-suffering of parents, by
Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD)
"Let
us, if it is pleasing to you, speak for a moment of the pains and anxieties
which parents take upon themselves and endure in patience out of love and
affection for their children. Here, surrounded by her family and by the
sympathy and affection of her relations, a daughter lies upon her bed of
suffering. She is fading in body. Her father's mind and spirit are worn with
grief. She is suffering the inward pangs of her sickness. He, unwashed,
unkempt, is absorbed wholly in sorrow. He suffers and endures before the eyes
of the world. She is sinking into the quiet of death... Alas! why are children
indifferent to these things! Why are they not mindful of them? Why are they not
eager to make a return to their parents for them? But the love of parents goes
on nevertheless; and whatever parents bestow upon their children, God, the
parent of us all, will duly repay." (excerpt from SERMON 33.2)
[Peter
Chrysologus, 400-450 AD, was a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the
5th century]
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, MARK 5:21-43
(Hebrews 12:1-4; Psalm 22)
(Hebrews 12:1-4; Psalm 22)
KEY VERSE: "Fear is useless; what is needed is trust" (v 36).
TO KNOW: In the midst of a busy day of ministry, Jesus received two urgent requests for healing. The first appeal 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 (Lv 15:19), she reached out in desperation and touched the hem of Jesus' garment. 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 sent the mourners away and entered the house. Taking the little girl by the hand, he raised her to new life.
TO LOVE: When I need healing, do I plead like Jairus or reach out in silence like the woman?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to encourage others to come to you for healing?
Memorial of Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr
Little is known about Saint Agatha, a martyr, who has been honored since ancient times, and whose name is included in the canon of the Mass. Young, beautiful and rich, Agatha lived a life consecrated to God. When Decius announced the edicts against Christians, the magistrate Quinctianus planned to blackmail Agatha into having sex with him in exchange for not charging her. After rejecting Quinctianus' advances, she was beaten, imprisoned, tortured, and her breasts were cut off. She was near death when an earthquake struck. In the destruction, the magistrate's friend was crushed, and the magistrate fled. Agatha thanked God for an end to her pain and died. Legend says that carrying her veil, taken from her tomb, in procession has averted eruptions of Mount Etna. Her intercession is reported to have saved Malta from Turkish invasion in 1551.
Tuesday 5 February 2019
St Agatha.
Hebrews 12:1-4. Psalm 21(22):26-28, 30-32. Mark 5:21-43.
They will praise you, Lord, who long for you – Psalm
21(22):26-28, 30-32.
‘Do not fear, only believe.’
Jesus encounters a woman who exists on the margins of Jewish
society. Her recurring problem with haemorrhages would have excluded her
participation in a society which emphasised ritual purity and cleanliness. A
similar situation confronts Jesus in dealing with Jairus’ dead daughter.
Contact with the dead was a source of defilement requiring a period of ritual
cleansing.
Jesus’ response to both situations contradicted popular wisdom.
He was concerned with breaking down barriers that impede relationships, not
reinforcing them. Through her faith in God, the woman breaks down the barriers
that exclude her and is restored to her rightful place in society. What
barriers are there around and inside us that need breaking down?
Saint Agatha
Saint of the Day for February 5
(c. 230 – 251)
 |
| Saint Agatha with her breasts on a charger | Ink drawing | Tommaso Minardi |
Saint Agatha’s Story
As in the case of Agnes, another virgin-martyr of the early
Church, almost nothing is historically certain about this saint except that she
was martyred in Sicily during the persecution of Emperor Decius in 251.
Legend has it that Agatha, like Agnes, was arrested as a
Christian, tortured, and sent to a house of prostitution to be mistreated. She
was preserved from being violated, and was later put to death.
She is claimed as the patroness of both Palermo and Catania. The
year after her death, the stilling of an eruption of Mt. Etna was attributed to
her intercession. As a result, apparently, people continued to ask her prayers
for protection against fire.
Reflection
The scientific modern mind winces at the thought of a volcano’s
might being contained by God because of the prayers of a Sicilian girl. Still
less welcome, probably, is the notion of that saint being the patroness of such
varied professions as those of foundry workers, nurses, miners and Alpine
guides. Yet, in our historical precision, have we lost an essential human
quality of wonder and poetry, and even our belief that we come to God by
helping each other, both in action and prayer?
Saint Agatha is the Patron Saint of:
Diseases of the Breast
Nurses
Nurses
LECTIO DIVINA: MARK 5:21-43
Lectio Divina:
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
help us to love You with all our hearts
and to love all people as You love them.
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.
help us to love You with all our hearts
and to love all people as You love them.
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 - 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. 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.
3) Reflection
• In today’s Gospel, we meditate on two miracles which Jesus
worked in favor of two women: the first one for a woman who was considered
impure because of the hemorrhage which she was suffering from for the past 12
years; the other one for a twelve year-old girl, who had died a short time
before. According to the mentality of the time, anybody who would touch
blood or a corpse was considered impure. Blood and death were factors for
exclusion! Because of this, those two women were marginalized people and excluded
from 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 twelve year-old girl.
• The situation of the woman. Twelve years of suffering from hemorrhage! For this reason she lived excluded, because at that time blood rendered people 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 up 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 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 was touching Him and pushing 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, 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 now comes the clash between Jesus and the disciples. Jesus had a sensitivity which the disciples did not perceive. The disciples reacted like everybody else; they did not understand the different reaction of Jesus. But Jesus did not pay attention and continued to investigate.
• 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 like herself got in among the people and contaminated everyone who touched her. All would become impure before God (Lev 15:19-30). For this reason, the punishment could be stoning. But the woman had the courage to accept the consequences of what she had done. The woman “frightened and trembling” fell at Jesus’ feet and told Him the whole truth. Jesus has 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 through faith became a reality. (c) Jesus acknowledges that, without that woman’s faith, 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 faith is capable of realizing 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!” The people laughed. They know how to distinguish between a person who is sleeping and when the person is dead. It is the same laughter of Abraham and of Sarah, of those who are unable to believe that nothing is impossible for God (Gn 17:17; 18:12-14; Lk 1:37). For them, death was a barrier which nobody could overcome or 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 needed 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, and with the three disciples and the parents of the child.
• The resurrection of the child. Jesus takes the child by the hand and says: “Talitha kum!” She rises. There is a great commotion! Jesus keeps calm and asks that they give her something to eat. Two women are cured! One is twelve years old, the other one twelve years of hemorrhage, 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 twelve year-old girl.
• The situation of the woman. Twelve years of suffering from hemorrhage! For this reason she lived excluded, because at that time blood rendered people 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 up 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 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 was touching Him and pushing 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, 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 now comes the clash between Jesus and the disciples. Jesus had a sensitivity which the disciples did not perceive. The disciples reacted like everybody else; they did not understand the different reaction of Jesus. But Jesus did not pay attention and continued to investigate.
• 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 like herself got in among the people and contaminated everyone who touched her. All would become impure before God (Lev 15:19-30). For this reason, the punishment could be stoning. But the woman had the courage to accept the consequences of what she had done. The woman “frightened and trembling” fell at Jesus’ feet and told Him the whole truth. Jesus has 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 through faith became a reality. (c) Jesus acknowledges that, without that woman’s faith, 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 faith is capable of realizing 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!” The people laughed. They know how to distinguish between a person who is sleeping and when the person is dead. It is the same laughter of Abraham and of Sarah, of those who are unable to believe that nothing is impossible for God (Gn 17:17; 18:12-14; Lk 1:37). For them, death was a barrier which nobody could overcome or 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 needed 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, and with the three disciples and the parents of the child.
• The resurrection of the child. Jesus takes the child by the hand and says: “Talitha kum!” She rises. There is a great commotion! Jesus keeps calm and asks that they give her something to eat. Two women are cured! One is twelve years old, the other one twelve years of hemorrhage, 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
• What 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
From You comes 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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