Meditation: Wisdom 1:13 God didn’t make death. God takes no delight in the ruin of anything that lives. 14 God created everything so that it might exist. The creative forces at work in the cosmos are life-giving. There is no destructive poison in them. The underworld[Wisdom 1:14 Gk Hades] doesn’t rule on earth. 15 Doing what is right means living forever.
2:23 God created humans to live forever. He made them as a perfect representation of his own unique identity. 24 Death entered the universe only through the devil’s envy. Those who belong to the devil’s party experience death.[Wisdom 2:24 Or continue to test people]
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B
Please, come. (Mark 5:23)
Imagine what Jairus must have felt as he approached Jesus—his impatience, his urgency, his frustration and anguish. His daughter was dying. Why had he waited so long? Did he regret not coming sooner? His daughter was all he could think about. Her precarious state overshadowed everything else.
What a relief! Jesus agreed to come with him. But would they get there in time? We’ve got to hurry! Then came a roadblock. A sick woman reached out and touched Jesus, and everything came to a standstill. Why would Jesus let himself be interrupted? There was no time to investigate. At least the disciples were sympathetic, asking, “How can you ask who touched you?”
Then, far away, Jairus glimpsed members of his household coming toward him. Were they happy? He couldn’t tell at first. But as he read their body language, his own shoulders slumped. It was as he feared. They were too late. His daughter was dead.
But Jesus kept on going. The mourners at his house mocked him, but Jairus followed Jesus into his daughter’s room. Then he saw Jesus raise his girl from death. Astounding! Jesus was big enough. His power was wide enough to take care of everything.
Looking at this story from Jairus’ point of view shows us how anxieties can overshadow every aspect of our lives. Like Jairus, we can be so caught up in worry that anxiety trumps everything else. But Jesus has enough healing power, enough mercy andcompassion, to go around. He hasn’t forgotten you, even when you feel he is delayed. He can care for you even as he takes care of everyone else.
So come and ask Jesus for his help, and then trust him to act on his own schedule. Maybe go one step further, and pray for all the other people he’s helping. Jesus is big enough to care for us all!
“Jesus, I trust your ways. Come and pour your healing on everyone who needs you!” Amen! Psalms 30:2 (1) I will exalt you, Adonai, because you drew me up;
you didn’t let my enemies rejoice over me.
4 (3) Adonai, you lifted me up from Sh’ol;
you kept me alive when I was sinking into a pit.
5 (4) Sing praise to Adonai, you faithful of his;
and give thanks on recalling his holiness.
6 (5) For his anger is momentary,
but his favor lasts a lifetime.
Tears may linger for the night,
but with dawn come cries of joy.
11 (10) Hear me, Adonai, and show me your favor!
Adonai, be my helper!”
12 (11) You turned my mourning into dancing!
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
13 (12) so that my well-being can praise you and not be silent;
Adonai my God, I will thank you forever!
2 Corinthians 8:7 Just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in diligence of every kind, and in your love for us — see that you excel in this gift too.
9 For you know how generous our Lord Yeshua the Messiah was — for your sakes he impoverished himself, even though he was rich, so that he might make you rich by means of his poverty.
13 It is not that relief for others should cause trouble for you, but that there should be a kind of reciprocity: 14 at present your abundance can help those in need; so that when you are in need, their abundance can help you — thus there is reciprocity. 15 It is as the Tanakh says,
“He who gathered much had nothing extra,
and he who gathered little had nothing lacking.”[2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18]
Mark 5:21 Yeshua crossed in the boat to the other side of the lake, and a great crowd gathered around him. 22 There came to him a synagogue official, Ya’ir by name, who fell at his feet 23 and pleaded desperately with him, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please! Come and lay your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!”
24 He went with him; and a large crowd followed, pressing all around him. 25 Among them was a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years 26 and had suffered a great deal under many physicians. She had spent her life savings; yet instead of improving, she had grown worse. 27 She had heard about Yeshua, so she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe; 28 for she said, “If I touch even his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Instantly the hemorrhaging stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed from the disease. 30 At the same time, Yeshua, aware that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 His talmidim responded, “You see the people pressing in on you; and still you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 But he kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 The woman, frightened and trembling, because she knew what had happened to her, came and fell down in front of him and told him the whole truth. 34 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your trust has healed you. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
35 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house came, saying, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the rabbi any longer?” 36 Ignoring what they had said, Yeshua told the synagogue official, “Don’t be afraid, just keep trusting.” 37 He let no one follow him except Kefa, Ya‘akov and Yochanan, Ya‘akov’s brother. 38 When they came to the synagogue official’s house, he found a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 On entering, he said to them, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead, she’s just asleep!” 40 And they jeered at him. But he put them all outside, took the child’s father and mother and those with him, and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talita, kumi!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 At once the girl got up and began walking around; she was twelve years old. Everybody was utterly amazed. 43 He gave them strict orders to say nothing about this to anyone, and told them to give her something to eat.
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion: [Mass Readings:
1st Reading: Wisdom 1:13 God didn’t make death. God takes no delight in the ruin of anything that lives. 14 God created everything so that it might exist. The creative forces at work in the cosmos are life-giving. There is no destructive poison in them. The underworld[Wisdom 1:14 Gk Hades] doesn’t rule on earth. 15 Doing what is right means living forever.
2:23 God created humans to live forever. He made them as a perfect representation of his own unique identity. 24 Death entered the universe only through the devil’s envy. Those who belong to the devil’s party experience death.[Wisdom 2:24 Or continue to test people]
Responsorial: Psalms 30:2 (1) I will exalt you, Adonai, because you drew me up;
you didn’t let my enemies rejoice over me.
4 (3) Adonai, you lifted me up from Sh’ol;
you kept me alive when I was sinking into a pit.
5 (4) Sing praise to Adonai, you faithful of his;
and give thanks on recalling his holiness.
6 (5) For his anger is momentary,
but his favor lasts a lifetime.
Tears may linger for the night,
but with dawn come cries of joy.
11 (10) Hear me, Adonai, and show me your favor!
Adonai, be my helper!”
12 (11) You turned my mourning into dancing!
You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
13 (12) so that my well-being can praise you and not be silent;
Adonai my God, I will thank you forever!
2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7 Just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in diligence of every kind, and in your love for us — see that you excel in this gift too.
9 For you know how generous our Lord Yeshua the Messiah was — for your sakes he impoverished himself, even though he was rich, so that he might make you rich by means of his poverty.
13 It is not that relief for others should cause trouble for you, but that there should be a kind of reciprocity: 14 at present your abundance can help those in need; so that when you are in need, their abundance can help you — thus there is reciprocity. 15 It is as the Tanakh says,
“He who gathered much had nothing extra,
and he who gathered little had nothing lacking.”[2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18]
Gospel: Mark 5:21 Yeshua crossed in the boat to the other side of the lake, and a great crowd gathered around him. 22 There came to him a synagogue official, Ya’ir by name, who fell at his feet 23 and pleaded desperately with him, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please! Come and lay your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!”
24 He went with him; and a large crowd followed, pressing all around him. 25 Among them was a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years 26 and had suffered a great deal under many physicians. She had spent her life savings; yet instead of improving, she had grown worse. 27 She had heard about Yeshua, so she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe; 28 for she said, “If I touch even his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Instantly the hemorrhaging stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed from the disease. 30 At the same time, Yeshua, aware that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 His talmidim responded, “You see the people pressing in on you; and still you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 But he kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 The woman, frightened and trembling, because she knew what had happened to her, came and fell down in front of him and told him the whole truth. 34 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your trust has healed you. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
35 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house came, saying, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the rabbi any longer?” 36 Ignoring what they had said, Yeshua told the synagogue official, “Don’t be afraid, just keep trusting.” 37 He let no one follow him except Kefa, Ya‘akov and Yochanan, Ya‘akov’s brother. 38 When they came to the synagogue official’s house, he found a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 On entering, he said to them, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead, she’s just asleep!” 40 And they jeered at him. But he put them all outside, took the child’s father and mother and those with him, and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talita, kumi!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 At once the girl got up and began walking around; she was twelve years old. Everybody was utterly amazed. 43 He gave them strict orders to say nothing about this to anyone, and told them to give her something to eat.]
1. The first reading begins with these astounding words, “God did not make death.” How would you answer someone who asked you the meaning of this Scripture verse?
2. The first reading goes on to say that “God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who belong to his company experience it.” What is your understanding of these words? What kind of “death” do these words describe: physical death, spiritual death, or both? What is the difference between physical death and spiritual death?
3. In the Responsorial Psalm, the psalmist speaks of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord and the reasons why he proclaims: “forever will I give you praise.” What are some examples from your own life when the Lord, “did not let my enemies rejoice over me,” “preserved me,” had “pity on me,” showed me his “good will,” and “changed my mourning into dancing”?
4. In the second reading, St. Paul speaks of “the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” In what ways did Jesus become “poor” for you? In what ways by his poverty, you became “rich”?
5. The second reading also speaks of sharing our “abundance” from the Lord with others. What part does the social justice teachings of the church play in your life, especially those on caring for the poor and needy? What more could you do to make these teachings a greater reality in your life?
6. In the Gospel reading, we see a great demonstration of Jesus’ power and authority to heal the sick and raise the dead. The synagogue leader, Jairus, and the women afflicted with hemorrhages approach Jesus with great faith. What role, if any, do you think their expectant faith played in the healings that occurred?
7. In his book, The Practice of Healing Prayer: A How-to Guide for Catholics, Francis MacNutt says that praying with expectant faith means trusting in God’s love, goodness and mercy when we pray. What are the situations in your life that sometimes make it difficult to pray to Jesus with expectant faith? What are some fruits in your life of praying with expectant faith?
8. Take some time now to pray and ask the Lord for the grace to have faith in his great love when you pray for yourself and for others, especially those who need his healing touch. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.“Jesus, I trust your ways. Come and pour your healing on everyone who needs you!” Amen!
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