Jesus miraculously heals a bleeding woman and raises a young girl from the dead. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by growing in the Virtue of Faith so he can be strengthened by God during times of turmoil and by building the Virtue of Humility so he can be more fully obedient to Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church.
Liturgy
13th Week in Ordinary Time – Sunday – Cycle B – Mk 5:21-43
Commentary
After His mission to the Gentile lands on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus lands on the western shores of the Sea near Capernaum and is met by a great crowd. Jairus, a respected and powerful Jewish leader of the local synagogue, risks his social and religious status by publicly humbling himself; kneeling before Jesus, he begs Jesus to miraculously heal his daughter who is near death. Jairus, perhaps desperate, has come to believe that Jesus can miraculously heal his daughter; seeing his faith, Jesus goes with Jairus to his home.
On the way to see Jairus’ daughter, a woman affected by the slow death of bleeding for 12 years, pushes through the crowd and approaches Jesus unseen from behind. Ritually impure and an outcast from society and Temple worship due to her hemorrhage, she humbly seeks only to touch the garment of Jesus, faithfully seeking a miracle. Immediately, Jesus mysteriously knows she has touched His cloak, and falling down at His feet in fear and awe, she confesses. Because of her faith and His infinite mercy, Jesus grants the woman a miraculous healing, returning her to perfect health and abundant life; no longer unclean, the woman is also restored to the fullness of Jewish sacramental and social life.
Word comes that Jairus’ daughter has died, but Jesus powerfully tells him not to fear and to believe. Entering Jairus’ house, Jesus dismisses those wailing over the girls’ death, saying, “the girl is not dead, but sleeping”; the crowd laughs at Jesus. After putting them out of the room, Jesus takes the dead girl’s hand and raises her from the dead, returning her to life; magnificently, the first thing the little girl sees is the face of God. News of the miracle spreads like wildfire.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Be awed by Jesus in this passage: the perfection of Empathy and Charity, Jesus generously responds to those in need; Jesus has the Divine Power to raise the dead to life and heal chronic illness, through deliberate application of power (laying on of hands) and by a spontaneous mysterious outflow of power (power through His cloak); Divine Knowledge, Jesus is aware of hidden acts (woman with the hemorrhage touches His cloak) and circumstances (He knows the woman has chronic bleeding); Protector, Jesus heals the sick woman and the dead girl, restoring them to fullness of life.
Be strengthened in faith by God during turmoil
Realize: Contrast the doubts of Jesus’ disciples and the mourners with the unshakeable faith of Jairus and the woman with a hemorrhage; in the face of severe stress and turmoil, every Catholic man is called to reject doubt and have faith in the reality of Jesus Christ.
Believe: Reflect upon Doubt (CCC 2088-2089) and Faith (CCC 153-165).
Pray: Almighty Father, help me build the Virtue of Faith so no matter what turmoil I face, I am always preserved from all doubt, strong and unwavering in faith, and am drawn ever closer to You and protected from all distress.
Grow in humility and be obedient to Jesus
Realize: Both Jairus and the woman with a hemorrhage have deep humility (willing to bow and beg) because of their faith and are obedient to Jesus; this results in Christ’s outpouring of grace upon them.
Believe: Reflect upon the Obedience of Faith (CCC 144-149).
Pray: Jesus, Perfection of Humility, help me build the Virtue of Humility (a part of Temperance) so I recognize my spiritual poverty, am filled with humility, and humbly and joyously submit in obedience to Your Lordship over my life and receive Your many blessings.
