13TH SUNDAY, 27 JUNE 2021: WIS 1. 13-15, 2. 23-24; 2 COR 8. 7, 9, 13-15; MARK 5. 21-43
Focus: True faith is not at all a matter of the power of one’s believing and getting things done from God. Rather, it is a matter of believing totally in the power of God, with total humility
1. Very often, faith is regarded as one’s credit. That is why, we hear compliments like, “Oh, what a faith he has! Oh how great is her faith!” This can easily give an impression that faith is one’s greatness. This is actually a defective conception. The focus should not be on the person who believes but on God whom one believes. The greatness is not of the one who pleads and receives from God, but of God who listens and gives.
2. In fact, the more faith thinks nothing of itself, the more it is creditable. In other words, a person with true faith must always be humble. He must be deeply conscious of his unworthiness and littleness. One may be great and big in the sight of the world. But before God, before His greatness and holiness, we are all unworthy and undeserving. This is not self-deprecation or self-lowering, that may be negative as poor self-esteem. This is a realistic self-realization and self-acceptance.
3. Therefore, when faith is devoid of humility, it cannot be sincere and profound. It can easily become arrogant and even self-righteous. Such a humility-lacking faith would make even God’s grace a necessary result of its greatness and not of God’s benevolence. Certainly, very often, Jesus praises the faith of those who seek favours from him. And in today’s gospel also, he compliments the faith of one ruler of a synagogue and one woman with haemorrhage. Jesus does the healing and gives the credit to their faith.
4. However, this does not mean that it is their faith that does things happen. It is God who makes things happen. Their faith is great in the sense that they are totally open to receive God’s power. Therefore, the greatness of faith does not lie in the person himself but in God. In other words, faith becomes great when there is humility, trust and surrender.
5. In this sense, let us reflect on the two healings in the gospel: the raising from death to life of the daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, and the healing of a woman with haemorrhage. Truly the faith of the official and that of the woman is praiseworthy and meritorious. They place their total trust in Jesus' power and compassion. The official believes. He firmly thinks it is enough that Jesus lays his hands over his daughter. When he approached Jesus, she was at the point of death, and as he was rushing home with Jesus to heal her, she was already dead. But even then, he believes and takes Jesus to his home.
6. His faith is marked by a deep humility. Seeing Jesus, he falls at his feet and beseeches him. He keeps aside all his authority as a ruler of the synagogue. He does not consider it below his dignity to bend his knee before Jesus. Deep within, he acknowledges and believes the power of Jesus that is far superior to his own as a ruler. He knows that the divine and spiritual power of Jesus surpasses his worldly power. Such a genuine humility is accompanied by an unswerving trust in Jesus’ merciful power. That is why he pleads with Jesus, “Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live”.
7. The woman with the bleeding disease too believes. She firmly thinks it is enough that she touches the edge of his cloak. Unlike Jairus, her approach to Jesus was a silent act. She touches Jesus’ garment from behind and gets instant healing. But she confesses the healing at Jesus’ query, “Who touched me?”
8. What is very remarkable in their faith is the extremity of their condition. The ruler believes in Jesus, even at death point, and the woman believes in Jesus even after 12 long years. Even in their most desperate situations, they do not give up hope. There were funebrial cries all around Jairus’ house. And the woman consulted every possible doctor and spent her every penny over her haemorrhage. Both were facing the most desperate and depressing situations.
9. We can also note on the part of Jesus a couple of simple but significant factors. He shows a personal concern. He goes personally to the house of the ruler. There was a great crowd around him. He was fully engaged. But he does not turn down the plea of the ruler. He takes the girl by the hand as he brings her back to life. He also tells the people to give her something to eat. Yes, Jesus never rejects our pleas. He listens to us. Of course at times, we may not get what we pray for. But that does not mean that he does not care for us. His goodness to us cannot be calculated only in terms of favours.
10. Another factor is he always transmits his power upon us. It is this power that went to the diseased woman and healed her and raised to life Jairus’ daughter. Further, what is striking is that he seeks no recognition or fame. What a fantastic miracle of raising from death! It is the best means and time to shoot into gigantic popularity. But, he tries to minimize the glory of it, by saying that the girl is not dead but is just sleeping. He puts all the crowd outside the girl’s room, except the girl’s parents and his three disciples Peter, James and John. After the miracle, he strictly charges them not to tell anyone. What a contrast to many of us that do a drop but do bundles of publicity and get mountains of popularity!
11. At the end of all, what is needed from our part is to approach him in deepest trust and get into the realm of his touch. Jesus’ touch transmits power that gives new life. The diseased woman begins a new life with health, joy and serenity. The ruler’s daughter receives a second life.
12. Today, Jesus continues the same life-giving words that he pronounced to the dead girl, “Talitha cumi”, “Little girl, I say to you, arise”. Just as the girl instantly got up and walked, so too we must constantly allow Jesus to lay his hands and touch us. Once touched and healed, we must get up and walk steady and sane.
Direction: Faith may go through trials and may be tested. But God will never deny and deprive His grace and never frustrates the trust and hope of those who confide in Him
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