First reading: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 30
Second reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Gospel reading: Mark 5:21-43
"If I just touch His clothing...I shall get well."
Mark 5:21-43 tells a story of Jesus' healing ministry. It is the story of Jairus, a synagogue official, who fell at the feet of Jesus and made an earnest appeal for his critically ill daughter. So the Lord Jesus went with Jairus, while a large crowd followed them. As they went on, there was a woman in the area who had been afflicted with hemorrhage for many years. Doctors could not heal her ailment, and her sickness grew worse. When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him to touch His clothing - believing that just by a mere touch, she would get well. After she did touch the Lord's clothing, her flow of blood dried up. She got well. Jesus learned what happened, and said to the woman, "your faith has cured you." After this incident, Jesus and Jairus finally arrived at their destination. They entered the house and Jesus saw the girl lying in bed. She took the child by the hand and said, "Talitha koum", which means, "little girl, get up." The girl, a child of twelve, stood up immediately and began to walk around.
This healing story in chapter 5 of Mark's gospel is really two miracle stories combined into one. Bible scholar Wilfrid Harrington in his book, "Mark", teaches that this is St. Mark's "sandwich" technique. Mark uses two verses (verse 24 and verse 35) to tie up two healing stories into one. Harrington then also adds that this technique of Mark presents "salvation and faith" as the major themes of this twin miracles. "Salvation through healing" was made possible by the touch of Jesus. At Jesus' touch, Jairus' daughter got well (verse 23); and the woman with the hemorrhage was convinced that if she touches the garment of Jesus, she will be made well (verse 28).
All humanity share the human condition of vulnerability to ailments and illnesses. However, the twin miracles from Mark's gospel present to us a God who gives genuine hope for healing. We only have to look at our own personal experiences to see that God provides us with enough strength to help ourselves and reach out to Him in prayer. And to believe that miracles still and do happen. Not only do we have strength to help ourselves, God provides us also with family, friends, and co-workers to help us find means to improve our health.. This is a truth we should value well: that God, in the person of Christ Jesus, gives us all the means, that we may hope in Him for anything, especially for whatever health conditions we, or our family members need..
