First Reading
Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24
God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the netherworld on earth, for justice is undying. 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.
Second Reading
2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Brothers and sisters: As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs, so that their abundance may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. As it is written: Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.
Gospel Cycle Cycle B
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.
It is belief in Jesus that changes our lives. The Gospel today gives us miracles. The most important aspect of these miracles is not the physical healing but the absolute belief of those asking for a miracle. Jairus doesn’t know where to turn to seek healing for his daughter. He is a synagogue official. Taking up with Jesus would not have been a very good thing for his career. We already know that the officials associated with respectable Jewish practice were in general against Jesus.
Necessity can draw us to the Lord. We hear from others that Jesus is Lord and can change lives and even work miracles. Others would tell us that it is all a hoax. At some point in our lives, we must choose and make a commitment.
The woman with hemorrhages for twelve years is also making a decision in her life. She is, according to Jewish law, an unclean woman. She spreads uncleanness to all whom she touches. She is in a crowd, pressed from all sides. She is breaking all kinds of religious practice rules. On the other hand, she believes that Jesus can cure her. The power goes out of Jesus and does cure her.
Both of these accounts are meant to challenge us: will you believe? Or will you just stay in the crowd because you are not sure what else there is? Lots of us can stay in the Church because we are afraid to leave the Church. Yet we don’t make a commitment to the Church. Our belief in Jesus is at that same level: sort of.
The Book of Wisdom today is quite clear that God did not make death but that death comes about because of sin. When we live in faith, death ceases to be a concern to us because we are living.
The Second Letter to the Corinthians presents us with this meditation: Jesus Christ, though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
All three readings today invite us to choose for God, for life and for complete trust in God’s work in Jesus Christ. They invite us to believe in the Church as well because it is through others that we come to know Jesus. Just as some of the people in the time of Jesus could not accept Him as Lord because they knew His family and knew His background, so also some of the people today cannot accept the Church because of seeing all of its sinfulness and defects.
What do you choose? What will I choose? We can walk with the Lord Jesus on His way and with complete trust or we can take some other path. What do you choose?