Word to the Wise
Sunday, June 28, 2009 - Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
[Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-34]If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured......
Twelve long years of suffering go into this woman's act of faith. As the disciples point out, how could Jesus have determined that someone out of the ordinary had touched his cloak when they were in a crowd of jostling people? It is not her physical touch that Jesus senses but the touch of her faith! Scripture scholars point out that the verb used here means more than "to cure," it means to be restored and/or "saved." Jesus has come to do more than just be a wonder-worker. They were plentiful throughout the Hellenistic world. Jesus' power over illness (and earlier over demons and the forces of nature) is a sign of his saving mission. But this "saving" requires an act of faith in his power to save. This same act of faith is found in the synagogue official, Jairus! It is his act of faith, in contrast with the skeptical mockery of the crowd at the home of the little girl, which gives rise to the same act of power that Jesus used for the woman. The little girl's situation could not have been more desperate: she had died! Jesus uses the words that are the most frequent statement from God to humans: "Do not be afraid." And then he adds, "Just have faith." He then shows that his power extends beyond illness, nature, and demons. It extends over life and death! Thus the dual theme of Jesus' power and our faith is interwoven in the "story within a story" account of these two healings. A suffering woman and a grieving parent turn to Jesus for help. That is the compassionate aspect. Jesus acts as one who is confident of his authority. That is the powerful aspect. Can we come with the same faith of the suffering woman and grieving parent to seek Jesus' compassion and power? AMEN
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