The Gospel of Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”
While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Let us Pray: God of healing, when someone in your world suffers, you suffer as well. Restore your world and heal your children so that no one needs to suffer any longer. This we ask in the name of Jesus our savior. Amen.
In this passage, Jesus performs two remarkable healings—one for a prominent synagogue leader’s daughter and the other for a woman who had suffered from chronic bleeding for twelve years. How do we approach Jesus in our times of need? Are we desperate like Jairus or quietly seeking healing like the woman? Despite the urgency, Jesus takes time to respond compassionately and accompanies Jairus to his home. When they arrive, they find that the girl has already died. Jesus, however, assures Jairus that she will be restored. Jesus takes her hand, speaks tenderly, and she comes back to life. His touch brings healing and resurrection. The woman in the crowd had heard of Jesus. She also had heard stories of his preaching, his kindness, and his power to heal. The woman’s faith in Jesus was absolute. She truly believed that if she was able to touch Jesus’ cloak, she would be healed. She didn’t need to talk with Jesus. She simply needed to touch his garment! When the woman fell down at Jesus’ feet, he lovingly looked at her and said: “Go in peace! You are cured! Your faith has saved you!” What a wondrous and profound gift Jesus gave to this woman! Her physical healing is not just about her body; it’s a restoration of her dignity, acceptance, and place in the community. The readings for today can be viewed as a spiritual wake-up call. They ask us to refocus and ensure we are living a life of faith. We often find ourselves pulled in countless directions and sometimes forget our common calling to become righteous servants of God. Therefore, the readings remind us we must continually place faith in God and trust his guidance in our daily lives.
We can see both stories emphasize faith and trust in Jesus’ power to heal and that Jesus responds to both the powerful and the marginalized, showing no partiality. When we have faith, His touch is transformative, it brings life, hope, and restoration. This Gospel leaves us with a challenge: How can we extend Jesus’ compassionate touch to those around us? Remember that Jesus’ healing touch is available to all, regardless of our status or circumstances. May we seek Him with faith and experience His transformative love
Let us Pray: Creator God you are the giver of life and you know us better than we know ourselves. You know where we are hurting or broken physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Pour your power out in us and among us that we may be healed, renewed, and strengthened. Grant us grace to accept the changes that come to all of us as we move through the seasons of life and give us faith that overcomes all our fears. We ask this in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.
Reflections by Bob 