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Gospel Reading for February 4, 2025 – Mark 5: 21-43
FAITH
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.
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 him, “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.
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As always, Jesus puts a lot of weight on FAITH if we want miracles to happen. Jairus was so sure that his dying daughter would be healthy again with the laying of Jesus’ hands. The hermorrhagic woman was so sure that by just touching Jesus’ clothes she would be healed. Jesus himself was caught by surprise when he felt power had gone out from him and knew that someone touched his clothes. As the disciples said to him, the crowd was pressing upon him so why ask who touched his clothes? Surely, there were so many touching his clothes, but it is just this woman, who touched his clothes purposely, to get healed. When Jairus was told not to bother Jesus because his daughter had already died, Jairus believed that Jesus could raise her from the dead. Truly, FAITH can move mountains.
Parents of today are encouraged not only to plant the seed of faith in their children, but let that faith grow and grow by helping them see even small and simple miracles of life: when watering plants, they grow and produce food for us and other animals; when water evaporates into the air, it comes back to earth as rain and are provided with water again; after a hard day’s work, when we rest, we regain our strength, and so on and so forth. Parents themselves have to be examples of having strong Faith in God, especially during difficult times. Perhaps, if their children witness this, when they themselves go through difficulties later in life, they will not easily opt to end their lives.
Yes, Lord, WE BELIEVE IN YOU!
