Call to prayer: God of all the living, we praise you for the gift of life that you have bestowed on us by creating us and redeeming us from sin and death through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Grant us the wisdom always to choose the ways of life over the ways of death. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
A Reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 5:21-43
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.
The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
Focus: This reading has two stories – one of the sick daughter and the other the unclean woman. Both take a risk and ask Jesus for help. Jesus responds tenderly. He calms their fears, confirms their faith and restores the woman to health and the daughter to new life.
Questions for reflection and sharing:
1. What words or phrases stand out for you?
2. Are there times when the storms of life seemed much more real than God’s presence?
3. Have you had experiences when someone affirmed you (built you up) and helped you in your struggle?
Concluding prayer: All-loving God, you call us to walk in the light of Christ. Free us from the darkness of sin, pain and suffering and keep us in the radiance of your truth. Form our lives in your truth and your hearts in your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
