[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 5:21-43

“He looked around to see who had done it.” (Mark 5:32)

Sometimes our prayer life can feel a little like a gumball dispenser. We put a quarter in the slot, turn the handle, and expect a gumball to drop out. If we say our prayers, attend church, or do good works, we may think we automatically receive God’s grace. We put in the time, and God dispenses his grace.

But God wants so much more for us! He wants prayer to be a time when we have a personal encounter with him. Look at today’s story of the hemorrhaging woman. It wasn’t enough that she pushed through the crowds and touched Jesus. He want­ed to touch her! He wanted to look into her eyes, listen to her story, and assure her personally that it really was her faith and trust in him that saved her.

In a sense, Jesus was just as per­sistent as this woman was. It didn’t matter that he was on his way to heal someone’s daughter. He still took the time to reach out to this lonely, des­perate woman because she mattered to him just as much as the impor­tant, influential Jairus did.

God wants personal contact with us. It’s not enough for him to dis­pense healing and grace mechani­cally, as if from afar. He wants to see us, to touch us, and to assure us of his love. We don’t have to lower our expectations or reduce the Christian life to a matter of formulas and con­tracts. We were made for commu­nion with God—and Jesus longs for communion with us!

So when you pray today, put aside your to-do list and reach out for Jesus. Push through whatever objec­tions may rise up, and grab hold of his robe. Then don’t be surprised to find Jesus turning and looking at you with love. Don’t be surprised when he speaks words of healing, encour­agement, and direction. He loves spending time with you!

“Jesus, I believe that even now, you are looking for me, waiting for the opportunity to speak to me and touch my heart. Here I am, Lord!”

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Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

(Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24; Psalm 30:2,4-6,11-13; 2 Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15; Mark 5:21-43)

1. What is your understanding of these words from the first reading? “For 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.”

2. The Responsorial Psalm speaks of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord. In what way does the psalm show how God has responded to the words above from the first reading? Share some examples from your own life of how the Lord, “did not let my enemies rejoice over me,” “preserved me,” had “pity on me,” and showed me his “good will.”

3. The second reading speaks of sharing our “abundance” from the Lord with others. What part does the “social justice” teachings of the church play in you life, especially those on caring for the poor and needy? What more could you do to make them a greater reality in your life?

4. In the Gospel, the synagogue leader, Jairus, and the women afflicted with hemorrhages approach Jesus with great faith. What role do you think their expectant faith played in the healings that occurred?

5. In his book, “The Practice of Healing Prayer,” 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? Share any fruits of prayers prayed with expectant faith.

6. In the meditation, we hear these astounding words: “God wants so much more for us. He wants prayer to be a time of personal encounter with him… . We were made for communion with God.” The meditation then ends with these words about our Lord: “He loves spending time with you.” In light of these words, what steps can you take to make this a greater reality in your own times of prayer?

7. Take some time now to pray for the grace to know and experience the Lord’s presence more deeply when you pray. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point..

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

THE HEALINGS OF JESUS

(A biblical refection on THE 13TH ORDINARY SUNDAY – July 1, 2012) 

First Reading: Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24 

Psalms: Ps 30:2,4-6,11-13; Second Reading: 2Cor 8:7,9,13-15; Gospel Reading: Mk 5:21-43 

The Scripture Text

God did not make death, and He does not delight in the death of the living. For He created all things that they might exist, and the generative forces of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them; and the dominion of Hades is not on earth. For righteousness is immortal.

… for God created man for incorruption, and made him in the image of His own eternity, but through the devil’s envy death entered the world, and those who belong to His party experience it. (Wis 1:13-15, 2:23-24 RSV) 

The possession of good health is so vital, that we hold in high esteem the medical profession and those with special talents for effecting cures.

The first reading taken from the Old Testament’s  “Book of Wisdom” tells us that God did not make death; He does not rejoice in the destruction of the living. For He fashioned all things that they might exist. He formed man to be imperishable. In the Gospel story by Mark we hear the report that Jairus’ daughter is dead. Undaunted by this report, Jesus goes and takes her hand and says: “Little girl, I say to you, arise” (Mk 5:41). She stand up immediately.

On the one hand, we note that these readings do not deny the destroying power of death. But on the other hand, they also declare that in the end death will be defeated by life.

Jesus spent many days of His ministry healing the sick, blind, deaf, crippled, etc. He did not practice medicine but did perform genuine healings. His reputation spread and people flocked to Him.

The man in today’s Gospel, Jairus, begs Jesus to come and “lay His hands” on his little daughter, “so that she may be made well, and live” (Mk 5:23). On the way a woman, sick for twelve years, pushes through the crowd to merely touch His cloak, convinced a cure will result. She is healed on the spot, because of her faith in His healing powers (see Mk 5:25-34).

When news arrives that the little girl has died, Jesus never breaks His stride but continues to the house and gives her a new lease on life. True religion and good medicine are joined in the person of Jesus. Today they continue to work together for the benefit of society.

Through the sacraments, the Church reaches out to heal. Reconciliation is meant to leave a person feeling better and stronger, ready to begin anew with a good outlook. The sacrament of the sick, approached with faith, consoles, strengthens and cures the recipient of many hurts and fears. It is an example of faith healing at its best.

In the Church we pray for the sick, interceding in behalf of others. Much depends not only on the disposition of the sick person but on the faith of the one asking. Jairus’ daughter did not ask Jesus for the healing; her father did. Possibly the little girl herself had no knowledge of Jesus, but her father believed and Jesus came and worked a miracle because of his faith.

We should not think that all religious healings happen on the center stage of a large auditorium or on television. Genuine healings are private and hidden. Notice in the Gospel, how no one knew the woman was cured except the woman herself. Before He blessed the little girl with new life, Jesus put out the crowd. He was not seeking public applause.

The healings of Jesus were neither magical nor automatic. They flowed directly from religious conviction. Therefore faith must be present before every prayer we pray, before every sacrament we receive, before every healing we seek.

Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, why am I so weak in faith, so full of fear? Show me that I need not be afraid but simply surrender to Your healing touch. Amen.