Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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 Jesus,
“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.
The search for comfort
1) At his feet: Jairo is desperate because of his situation; it is out of his control and what he can do… so he turns to Jesus, because what he loves most in this life, his daughter, is dying. He was a man that we could say: ” had it all”. But a situation like the death of a child can throw you off, and lead you to seek God like never before in your life. Those moms and dads who struggle day after day with the health of their children come to mind. Those friends, also come to mind, who even told me they were atheists but, when they experience these difficult moments, they found God. They are hard moments; when it all comes crashing down and the only resource is God. Today, I do not know if you are going through a moment like this, but I want you to know that Jesus is attentive to you. Turn to him; look for him and ask him to protect what you love in life, and not let it die.
2) Hemorrhages: She was a woman who was dead while she was still alive. People did not approach her because they were afraid of becoming unclean because of her. She was a woman who suffered from that internal pain, but also from that external pain of being rejected by society; the stigma that society itself puts on you and it hurts a lot. Jairo asks for his daughter’s life, so that she does not die, and this woman asks to live again. Today, ask God to give you life; to rediscover yourself and to live again. Stop the bleeding; stop the pain of the past that still continues to take life from you. Ask to live and look forward to the future again. No matter how much society or your family has hurt or rejected you, today you can come back to life with Jesus. Feel his healing touch. Stop bleeding from all these wounds that you bring with you from years ago and ask Jesus to heal you and fill you with peace.
3) The uproar: People cry and scream. I think it’s good for you to remember that society changes and those around you do too. Today do not forget that you do not have to follow the crowd. You are special. Society’s fashions pass, but faith remains. Move forward with faith in this life because if you allow yourself to be carried away by the riots you will lose your peace, and those around you might even take away your hope. Fight for what you love and bring it to Jesus…even those things that seem to be impossible; He will put you back on your feet.
God-bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Never forget heaven is our goal !
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