Gospel Reflection for June 27th : 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time By Brother Michael
Jesus heals us
Last Sunday we heard about the disciples being caught in the storm while at sea with Jesus. They asked Jesus to save them; he calmed the wind and assured them that he was with them. We ended our reflection by mentioning the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. Today, with her we meet Jairus who asked Jesus to heal his daughter. Both come to Jesus in desperation but also in faith.
Jairus is an important person in the community; he is one of the leaders in the synagogue. He meets Jesus, falls at his feet and begs him saying, ‘My little girl is very sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ Jesus agrees to his request and goes with him. While on the way the crowd press around Jesus. A poor woman who has been sick for years believes that if she can just touch the edge of Jesus’ clothes she will be healed. She touches Jesus and is healed. When Jesus asked who touched him, she steps forward. Jesus says to her, ‘My daughter, your faith has restored you to health; go in peace.’
What these two people have in common is that they are both desperate for healing and help. What they also have in common is faith. Both believe that Jesus will do what they ask of him. They had no one to whom they could turn except Jesus. Jairus puts his pride and position aside and begs for help. The woman who has spent all she has on treatment is literally spent herself. All she has left is the hope that Jesus will cure her. Such is the quality of their desperation. Such is the quality of their belief and faith in the power of Jesus. When they arrive at the house of Jairus his daughter is dead. But Jesus calmly says, ‘Courage, only have faith.’ At the word of Jesus the girl rises from her bed and is given back to her father. Jesus did not ignore or dismiss either of them; they came to him trouble but also in faith and he responded with healing and compassion.
This gospel is offered to us today as Good News. It is presented to us to nourish and nurture our faith in Jesus. It invites and challenges to follow the example of both Jairus and the woman. Jairus, important and prominent though he is has the courage and humility to simply ask Jesus for help. The woman similarly is desperate and knows that Jesus is the only one who can now help and heal her. While they both encourage us, they also challenge us. I ask myself frequently what the quality of my faith is. Do I have the courage, humility and faith of either Jairus or the woman? Sometimes.
As we slowly but gradually emerge from lock down, as churches and more shops open and we are free to travel, perhaps we are still feeling a little vulnerable. Perhaps there are parts of lives that are a little bruised because of what we have gone through and experienced. Can we follow the example of Jairus, come to Jesus and humbly but faithfully ask for his healing touch and compassion? Can I make his prayer my own today, ‘Lord, lay your hands on me and restore me to health?’ Of all the women in the gospel, I believe this one who had the courage and faith to reach out in faith to touch Jesus is the most powerful. If only I had her faith.
If we, like her stretch out our hands to Jesus, he in turn will stretch out his to us. He will heal us. He will say to us; ‘Your faith has restored you to health; go in peace.’
Br Michael Moore OMI
– Br Michael Moore OMI
Little girl, I tell you to get upWhen Jesus had crossed in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lakeside. Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ 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 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 behind him through the crowd and touched his cloak. ‘If I can touch even his clothes,’ she had told herself ‘I shall be well again.’ And the source of the bleeding dried up instantly, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. Immediately aware that power 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 and yet you say, “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 from your complaint.’
While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, ‘Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?’ But Jesus had overheard this remark of theirs and he said to the official, ‘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 official’s house 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 laughed at 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 this they were overcome with astonishment, and he ordered them strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.
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