Gospel: Mark 5: 21-43

 

The crowd joins Jesus who has just come across from the other side of the lake. Jairus, head of the synagogue, asks Jesus’ help for his daughter who is dying. Jesus goes with him and the crowd follows, pushing him on every side because they all want to be close to Jesus when he is about to work a miracle. 

 

This is the point of departure of the two following episodes: the healing of the woman suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years and the raising of the twelve-year-old girl.

 

Twelve years of haemorrhaging! For this reason, the woman was excluded since in those times blood made a person impure as well as anyone who touched that person. Mark says that the woman had spent all her money on doctors but instead of getting better had got worse. An insoluble situation!

 

She had heard about Jesus. A new hope grew in her heart. She said to herself: “If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved”. The catechism of those days said: “If I just touch his clothes, I shall become impure”. The woman thinks the exact opposite! This is a sign of great courage. It is also a sign of the fact that woman did not quite agree with what the authorities taught. The woman goes into the middle of the crowd that was pushing Jesus on all sides and, almost secretly, succeeds in touching Jesus.

 

The reaction of Jesus and of his disciples 

Jesus, too, felt power coming out of him “Who has touched me?”. 

The disciples react. Here again we have a little disagreement between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus had a sensitivity not seen by the disciples. But Jesus does not give up and goes on asking.

 

This is a difficult and dangerous moment for the woman. According to the belief of those days, someone impure who, like this woman, went among the crowd, would contaminate all just by touching her. But the woman, fearful and trembling, falls at his feet and tells him the truth. Jesus then pronounces his final judgement. Beautiful and very human words! By saying “My daughter”, Jesus welcomes the woman into the new family, into the community growing around him. What she thought came to pass. Jesus recognizes that without the faith of that woman he could not have worked the miracle.

 

Just at that moment emissaries from Jairus’ house arrive to tell him that his daughter was dead. There was no need to trouble Jesus further. For them death was the great frontier and Jesus could not cross it! Jesus listens, looks at Jairus and encourages him to be like the woman.

 

Jesus takes no notice of the laughter and enters the room where we find the child, himself, the three disciples and the father of the child.

 

Jesus takes the child by her hand and says: “Talitha kum!” And the child gets up. Much shouting! Jesus stays calm and asks that food be brought to the child. The healing of two women! One twelve-year old and one who suffered from haemorrhage and was excluded for twelve years! Jesus has greater power and raises both and raises us: “Get up!” 

 

 

The crowd joins Jesus who has just come across from the other side of the lake. Jairus, head of the synagogue, asks Jesus’ help for his daughter who is dying. Jesus goes with him and the crowd follows, pushing him on every side because they all want to be close to Jesus when he is about to work a miracle. 

 

This is the point of departure of the two following episodes: the healing of the woman suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years and the raising of the twelve-year-old girl.

 

Twelve years of haemorrhaging! For this reason, the woman was excluded since in those times blood made a person impure as well as anyone who touched that person. Mark says that the woman had spent all her money on doctors but instead of getting better had got worse. An insoluble situation!

 

She had heard about Jesus. A new hope grew in her heart. She said to herself: “If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved”. The catechism of those days said: “If I just touch his clothes, I shall become impure”. The woman thinks the exact opposite! This is a sign of great courage. It is also a sign of the fact that woman did not quite agree with what the authorities taught. The woman goes into the middle of the crowd that was pushing Jesus on all sides and, almost secretly, succeeds in touching Jesus.

 

The reaction of Jesus and of his disciples 

Jesus, too, felt power coming out of him “Who has touched me?”. 

The disciples react. Here again we have a little disagreement between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus had a sensitivity not seen by the disciples. But Jesus does not give up and goes on asking.

 

This is a difficult and dangerous moment for the woman. According to the belief of those days, someone impure who, like this woman, went among the crowd, would contaminate all just by touching her. But the woman, fearful and trembling, falls at his feet and tells him the truth. Jesus then pronounces his final judgement. Beautiful and very human words! By saying “My daughter”, Jesus welcomes the woman into the new family, into the community growing around him. What she thought came to pass. Jesus recognizes that without the faith of that woman he could not have worked the miracle.

 

Just at that moment emissaries from Jairus’ house arrive to tell him that his daughter was dead. There was no need to trouble Jesus further. For them death was the great frontier and Jesus could not cross it! Jesus listens, looks at Jairus and encourages him to be like the woman.

 

Jesus takes no notice of the laughter and enters the room where we find the child, himself, the three disciples and the father of the child.

 

Jesus takes the child by her hand and says: “Talitha kum!” And the child gets up. Much shouting! Jesus stays calm and asks that food be brought to the child. The healing of two women! One twelve-year old and one who suffered from haemorrhage and was excluded for twelve years! Jesus has greater power and raises both and raises us: “Get up!”