(Fourth week in Ordinary time)
1st Reading: 2Sam 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30-19:3 / Gospel: Mk 5:21-43
Jesus then crossed to the other side of the lake and a large crowd gathered around him. Jairus, an official of the synagogue, came up and threw himself at his feet and asked him earnestly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live.”
Jesus went with him and many people followed. Among the crowd was a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. Since she had heard about Jesus, this woman came up behind him and touched his cloak thinking, “If I just touch his clothing, I shall get well.” Her flow of blood dried up at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed.
But Jesus was conscious that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” His disciples answered, “You see how the people are crowding around you. Why do you ask who touched you?” But he kept looking around. Then the woman came forward, knelt before him and told him the whole truth. Then Jesus said,
“Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace and be free of this illness.”
Some people arrived from the official’s house to inform him, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?” But Jesus ignored what they said and told the official, “Do not fear, just believe.” When they arrived at the house, Jesus entered and said to them, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.”
They laughed at him. But Jesus sent them outside and went into the room where the child lay. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha kumi!” which means: “Little girl, get up!”
The girl got up at once and began to walk around. The parents were greatly astonished.
DAILY GOSPEL IN THE LIFE OF EXPERIENCE
Faith, whether done in public or exercised in secret, moves Jesus. In today’s Gospel the synagogue official made a public show of faith. “My little daughter is at the point of death,” he said. “Come and lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live.” This moved Jesus. The woman, on the other hand, expressed her faith in silence. In secret she touched Jesus’ tassels without saying anything. This too moved Jesus.
These two incidents, taken together, make up one call to effective witnessing. We become effective witnesses if our faith moves from silence (faith of the woman) to eloquence (faith of the synagogue official). Until we become as loud, our faith remains like a lamp hidden under a bushel basket.
–E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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