Youth for Christ Sto. Tomas Cluster

01312012, Tuesday

2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30, 19:3,  Psalm 86

Gospel: Mark 5:21-43

Jairus’ Daughter and the Woman Who Touched Jesus’ Cloak

Jesus went back across to the other side of the lake. There at the lakeside a large crowd gathered around him. Jairus, an official of the local synagogue, arrived, and when he saw Jesus, he threw himself down at his feet and begged him earnestly, “My little daughter is very sick. Please come and place your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!” Then Jesus started off with him. So many people were going along with Jesus that they were crowding him from every side.

There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years, even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time.She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him, saying to herself, “If I just touch his clothes, I will get well.”

She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble. At once Jesus knew that power had gone out of him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” His disciples answered, “You see how the people are crowding you; why do you ask who touched you?”

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. The woman realized what had happened to her, so she came, trembling with fear, knelt at his feet, and told him the whole truth. Jesus said to her, “My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your trouble.”

While Jesus was saying this, some messengers came from Jairus’ house and told him, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any longer?” Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but told him, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.“ Then he did not let anyone else go on with him except Peter and James and his brother John.They arrived at Jairus’ house, where Jesus saw the confusion and heard all the loud crying and wailing He went in and said to them,  “Why all this confusion? Why are you crying? The child is not dead—she is only sleeping!”

They started making fun of him, so he put them all out, took the child’s father and mother and his three disciples, and went into the room where the child was lying. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha, koum,” which means, “Little girl, I tell you to get up!” She got up at once and started walking around. (She was twelve years old.) When this happened, they were completely amazed. But Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone, and he said, “Give her something to eat.”

Photo By: Jerold Flores

In the Gospel, a woman has been cured of her sickness by touching Jesus’ clothes.  She believed that only in doing so, will she be freed of her burden of 12 years.  Out of the many people who touched Jesus, she was the only one who had faith and believed.

The passage brings us back to some moments when we feel hopeless  in the face of suffering. Sometimes we just accept defeat and let it consume us, until we are reminded that God is a gracious God. He is capable of  getting us out of such miserable state and  freeing us of our burdens.

One thing we have to know is that God’s healing isn’t instant.  It sometimes takes time, and this is where our faith kicks in! Because if we have faith in Him and  believe, we will be given the grace to collaborate with God in making our dreams come true.

In the face of trials and hardships, we must believe in and rely firmly on Him. Because in every trouble we are facing, God is up there–watching and smiling at us. Smiling not because we are suffering, but because we are again in need of His love, His grace, His guidance and His healing hands. We just need to admit that we are ordinary people—weak, and sinners who need healing.

God’s healing is the wonder of how the right people, place and events  fall into place to help us survive the pain we feel even when it’s impossible to get through.

If we live to serve and worship God, everything is possible. It will sometimes be difficult to conquer what pains us, but nothing is ever impossible if we have Him in our hearts and life.

You just gotta have faith!

“Trials are given to Righteous people but Misfortunes to the Unrighteous.”

All for God. ♥

Artist: Jerold Flores | Writer: Jeff Flores

via CFCYOUTHFORCHRIST.NET