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Gospel Reading for June 30, 2024 – Mark 5: 21-43
PROOFS
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.
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Google says that faith is – strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than PROOF. Although the statement is somehow correct, it is not totally correct, because there is always PROOF, that is, if we choose to see it. As a matter of fact, it is the PROOF that makes our faith stronger. It is highly likely, that the woman with hemorrhages for twelve years saw how many people got healed by Jesus. Her faith was truly admirable, because she believed that she did not have to ask Jesus to heal her, she just needed to touch his clothes. Imagine, Jesus’ power was all over him. It extended even to his clothes! Why not? He is the Son of God! God’s power was all over him! The faith of Jairus was equally admirable. He just believed that Jesus could save his daughter even after the people were saying that his daughter had already died. It must have been such a beautiful scene – Jesus taking the girl’s hands and making her rise from where she was lying. Jairus must have been overwhelmed. His strong faith became even stronger.
If we only ponder deeply on the events in our lives, from childhood to where we are now, we will see very many instances that are PROOFS of God’s existence, his awesome power, and his great love for us human beings. Faith is truly such a great gift! Without it, it would be so easy to feel miserable when life presents to us challenges that are difficult to face.
Lord, we truly believe in you. When our time on earth is up, we pray that you take our hands and make us rise to live again in eternity with you!
