FAITH IN THE HEALING POWER OF GOD

June 28, 2015
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) 
Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24/Psalm 30/2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15/Mark 5:21-43 (or: 5:21-24, 35b-43) 

Today's Sunday Gospel gives emphasis on faith as an instrument in the miracles of Jesus. We witness two kinds of miracles of Jesus in our Gospel for this Sunday - a healing miracle and raising the dead back to life. In the longer version of our Sunday Gospel, Jesus heals a woman who has been bleeding for twelve long years and raises Jairus' daughter back to life. Faith is the key for the Lord to assist us in our needs. 

In the longer version of our Sunday Gospel, Jesus heals a woman bleeding for twelve full years. She has been to numerous physicians, but she was never cured. Not a single doctor could cure the woman of her illness. The bleeding she had could not stop for twelve full years and not a single physician could not stop the hemorrhage. 

The woman afflicted with hemorrhage then hears news about Jesus of Nazareth going into the area. She probably heard a lot about the Lord Jesus as a miracle worker. She heard that Jesus cured many people of their illnesses and afflictions. The problem is, there is a huge crowd following Jesus on the way to the house of Jairus. When she was following Jesus, the woman believed that she will be cured of her illness. With full faith that her bleeding will stop, she touched Jesus' garment,

Jesus knew that He lost power due to someone touching Him. He was being pressed by the crowd, and yet He knows that one person touched Him, causing Him to lose power. Hence, the question of Jesus, "Who touched Me?" Jesus knows that someone touched Him. Jesus knows that He lost power due to someone touching Him. The woman openly admits that she was the one who touched Him, and by touching His clothing, she was cured of her affliction.

Upon hearing the woman's testimony, Jesus assures her that it is her faith that has healed her. If the woman did not have faith in the healing power of the Lord, she wouldn't be cured of her illness. 

Now, on their way to Jairus' house, Jairus received news that his daughter has died. The messengers told Jairus not to bother the Lord. But, Jesus reassures him, telling Jairus to have faith and his daughter will be healed. When they went to the house of Jairus, Jesus raises the dead daughter of Jairus back to life. Christ commands the girl to get up. Upon the Lord's command, the girl came back to life.

Faith in the power of God is the key to God listening and helping us in our needs. When we have faith in the Lord, He will not ignore or reject our calls or needs. Rather, the Lord will respond to us by helping and granting our needs.