Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sister Angele Lewis, SNDdeN
June 27, 2021
Mark 5:21-43
A WAY FORWARD…
Take a mental “snapshot” of your life.
What you see in your snapshot?
What questions do you have right now?
HOLD THIS IMAGE. We will return to this in a bit.
It is very possible that today, as you are reading this, that you, may have many more questions than you have answers… And many more feelings that you might not like! I know, I do. And into this upside down, polarized, divided, angry community of haves and have nots, insiders and outsiders, acceptable and marginalized people, … well, I think you get the the idea.
This Sunday’s Gospel reading from Mark (5:21-34) demonstrates how “a way forward” in Jesus’ time and for us today! The two healings that Jesus does involve two different petitioners … one who belongs to the community (Jarius, a father and leader of the synagogue; whose 12 year old daughter is dying and an unnamed woman (now called, HUTZPAH) who hemorrhages for 12 years and was considered unclean. Both throw themselves down asking for a favor/forgiveness from Jesus … the father asks Jesus to lay his hands on his daughter and Hutzpah, comes up behind Jesus and just touches his clothes.
WATCH WHAT JESUS SAYS AND DOES.
“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.
She (Hutzpah) 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?”
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.”
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
“Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
“The child is not dead but asleep.”
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.
Jarius’ daughter and Hutzpah were welcomed to new life in community. Jarius and wife were told not to tell anyone and Hutzpah was now called daughter by Jesus. Mark seems to make a point that our faith, hope, and love are vital. Jesus wants to heal us from anything that gets in the way truly living as God’s children in God’s kingdom.
Spend some time reflection on the “snap shot” image of your life. What do you see? Did you see yourself in the reactions of the crowds in Mark’s gospel? How could this pair of healings and faith help the world today?
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 Gospel of the Lord
Meet Sister Angele Lewis, SNDdeN
