13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

My dear parishioners,

God is Good!!!  All the time!!!  And all the time!!!  God is Good!!!

The wisdom promoted in this book is not the conventional kind associated with intellectual pursuits. In this book wisdom is living in right relationship with God. In its very first line this book challenges readers to love “righteousness” and to think of the Lord. To reinforce this theme the author (the wise King Solomon by tradition) contrasts the advantages of service (wisdom) with the disadvantages experienced by those who resist serving God (folly).

Today’s Gospel employs a literary device known as intercalation or sandwiching. It is a technique Mark uses frequently. He begins by telling a story and, just as the narrative gets interesting, he stops and begins telling another story. He finishes the second story and then returns and concludes the first story. Both stories influence one another, heighten the tensions involved in both, and reveal something about who Jesus is. The stories highlighted in today’s passage begin with the dying 12-year-old daughter of Jairus, a synagogue official, and then moves to the story of a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for 12 years.

The synagogue official’s dying daughter. Jairus is a synagogue official who believes firmly that Jesus can heal his dying daughter. We do not know why Jairus believes in Jesus, except that he is desperate. There is no exchange of words between Jesus and the synagogue official. We are told that Jesus went off with him. No further details are given but we assume Jesus has the intent of healing this young girl. Will he get there in time? What will he do? Mark abruptly stops the story here and begins a new story.

The woman afflicted with hemorrhages for 12 years. The second story is about a woman who also is desperate. She has run out of resources to cure her illness. She also, for some reason, has faith that Jesus has the power to heal her. In fact, she believes that by just touching his cloak she will have access to his healing power. However, if this woman touches Jesus or his clothing he will be rendered ritually impure. A response to such an action could be very dangerous for the woman and even jeopardize her life. Immediately Jesus knows he has been touched. The woman very courageously approaches him, with fear and trembling, and admits to what she has done. Jesus responds with mercy and forgiveness. He declares that the woman’s faith has saved her and brought about her cure.

Jairus’ daughter raised to new life. Mark now returns to the first story. By this time the girl has died but Jesus is not deterred in the least. He takes her hand and “raises her up” to new life. Faith brings wholeness. Jesus’ lordship knows no bounds. Those who witnessed all this were utterly astounded.

Excerpts from “Sunday Homily Helps”, is used by permission of Franciscan Media. www.FranciscanMedia.org. All rights reserved

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Aloysius