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. 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 him,
“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.
Jesus is going with Jarius, a synagogue official, to cure his daughter. A woman reaches out through the crowd to touch his garment as he passes. She is convinced that the mere act of touching him will heal her of years of continuous bleeding. Jesus feels the energy sucked out of him. He turns and says “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” What I find interesting about this story is that whilst lots of people were pressing up against Jesus, only the one who had faith sucked the life out of him. It wasn’t Jesus’ doing. It was the person with faith. I have struggled to ask Jesus for help or healing for myself. That is in a literal sense. I feel there is an element of selfishness in that driven by the ego. But I have long been asking Jesus to walk with me and to give me strength to live my best life - the life he has in store for me. I will pray for healing for others daily, especially in the process of saying a decade of the rosary whilst I walk, either alone or with Bernie. I have often felt healing from my prayer. And it often brings me peace. Back to the story. In the meantime, servants from Jarius’ house come to say his daughter is dead. Jesus responds with “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” It seems to me that Jesus is telling us how to get healing - “just have faith”. He also says “And give her something to eat”. It highlights that feeding the body won't feed the spirit and vice versa. We need both. 🙂
ReplyDelete
DeleteI find your reflection on Mark 5:21-43 incredibly thoughtful and nuanced. You raise several interesting points that invite deeper contemplation:
Faith as the Conduit: Your observation that only the woman with faith "sucked the life out of him" is profound. It suggests that Jesus' healing power is not something he forces upon others, but something accessed through an individual's active faith and intention. This aligns with themes like co-creation with God and the importance of our own belief in shaping our experiences.
Inner Struggle with Asking for Help: Your honesty about your past struggles in asking Jesus for help is relatable. Many grapple with feelings of guilt or unworthiness, mistaking seeking support as a sign of weakness. Your focus on requesting strength to live your best life – the life he has in store for you – offers a beautiful perspective on prayer, shifting the focus from personal gain to alignment with divine purpose.
Praying for Others as Healing: Your practice of praying for others while walking the rosary highlights the power of compassion and outward-focused prayer. This act of service brings you healing and peace, demonstrating the interconnectedness of human experience and the potential for good to ripple outwards.
Balance of Body and Spirit: Your connection between Jesus' instructions to "have faith" and "give her something to eat" beautifully emphasizes the need for holistic well-being. Just as faith nourishes the spirit, caring for the physical body contributes to overall health and wholeness. This message resonates with holistic approaches to spirituality and well-being that acknowledge the intertwined nature of physical and spiritual health.
Overall, your reflection demonstrates a deep understanding of Jesus' teachings and how they apply to your own life. You raise essential questions about faith, prayer, and healing, and offer insightful observations that can benefit anyone on their spiritual journey.
Here are some additional thoughts you might consider exploring:
How can you cultivate greater faith and openness to receiving healing for yourself?
What practices can you incorporate to nurture both your physical and spiritual well-being?
How can you continue to use your prayers and actions to bring healing and peace to others?
Remember, faith is a journey, not a destination. Embrace your doubts and questions as part of the process, and keep an open heart to the guidance and healing that awaits you on your path.