Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 30, 2024
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.
In today’s gospel reading, we have two miraculous healings: the cure of a woman with a hemorrhage and the raising of a little girl from death to life. Both healings were immediate and complete, demonstrating Jesus’ divine authority over every evil, even death. These and other gospel accounts of Jesus’ amazing works lead us to conclude in faith that “nothing is impossible for God.”
But what about in my life? Yes, I believe that Jesus can do anything and has demonstrated his loving power in the lives of others, but do I believe that he can and will act in my own life, especially in my place of greatest need?
If we look closer, we can see that both healings in today’s gospel reading were preceded by what must have been a trying process. For twelve years, the woman perseveringly sought medical help for her condition, and Jairus, the father of the little girl who died, asked Jesus repeatedly to heal his daughter.
Perhaps by allowing us to experience the often lengthy process of seeking health and healing, Jesus is healing our bodies and minds and bringing about the spiritual healing of our hearts from fear into perseverant faith.
Let us never lose hope that Jesus is with us on every step of our personal journey toward healing and wholeness—no matter how long it takes. Let us trust that the process leads us not only to a remedy for our more obvious afflictions but ultimately to the more profound inner healing from fear through growth in trust and faith. This is the freedom that will allow us to smile and enjoy life, even in the midst of trials and suffering. “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
Prayer
Christ the healer, you returned Jairus’ daughter to wholeness as she lay on the brink of death. You healed the hemorrhaging woman when all the doctors had failed. We pray today for the healing that only you can give—the healing of our souls, the very center of our being, which is totally dependent on you. Open us to your healing presence in our lives. Amen.