The loss of a child to illness or accident is every parent’s worst nightmare, a tragedy almost beyond imaging. The pain of loss never goes away. My sister Jean and her husband Bob lost their daughter Kara in a most tragic accident. This happened back in 2001. The grief my sister Jean carries with her never goes away.
In today’s Gospel, there is a girl of 12 years of age who is near death, struck down by an unknown illness, driving her father to extremes in his desperate search for help in going to Jesus. Jairus risks being ridiculed and risks missing the last precious minutes in his daughter’s life. When the news of his daughter’s death arrives, Jesus preaches the shortest sermon of his career. He simply says: “Do not fear, but believe.” That sermon Jesus preaches to us as well who suffer from those human conditions in which we cannot control. Do not fear but believe.
You are most welcome to ignore my lengthier homily and simply remember the powerful words of Jesus: “Do not fear but believe.” God has not intended our world to be filled with anxiety and fear. May we transform our fear into trust and faith that Jesus is with us as healer and Lord.
Trust me, l get it then after experiencing so painful a loss as the death of your child, it’s much easier to say the words of Jesus that to really believe, as you are caught in the paralysis of your grief. Yet, may we bring our grief into the heart of God’s love for us.
When Jesus arrived at the house of Jairus, he put the crowd outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her: “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!”
As we pray over today’s Gospel, may we be reminded that Jairus’ daughter lies dying today in little girls jeopardized by illness, lack of food and water and the necessities of life, the safety and the security they deserve. Jairus’s daughter can be found in the children of Haiti, the children who live in Iraq and Afghanistan, the immigrant children at our border and all the children in need who live in this the wealthiest nation on the planet.
What sort of miracle would it take for us to transform the world’s systems and the hearts of its people so that all children in need can rise up to new life? What would it take?
Yes, we are overwhelmed by the suffering of children around the world. We may feel overwhelmed and helpless. Yet, there can be no doubt that these children are very much the concern of God. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether they are outside of our concern. Rather, we pray that the concerns of God are very much our concerns as well.
We need to be able to see as God sees. We need to have the heart of God. As in the case of the woman who been afflicted hemorrhages for twelve years in today’s Gospel, Jesus did not see an unclean woman with uncontrollable bleeding, he saw a beloved daughter of God who is suffering. May we too see in those who are suffering God’s beloved sons and daughters.
We may ask ourselves at times what keeps us from recognizing people in need as God’s beloved sons and daughters. I find the words of Mother Theresa as very helpful. Mother Theresa says: “When our hearts area filled with judgments about others, there is no room left for love.” May we repent of our judgments so that we may be able to love others as God loves them.
Another take-home message to today’s Scriptures that in our personal suffering, may we hold onto our spiritual identity as did this woman. Her deeper spiritual identity gave her the courage to reach for God’s love as it was manifesting itself in Jesus. God’s love is for God’s children, and she is one of God’s children. This is her faith. She can go now in peace.
She touched the clothes of Jesus and was healed. Do you believe that the healing touch of Jesus is meant for you as well? What area of your physical, emotional or spiritual life stands in need of the healing power of Jesus? What stress or fear or anxiety do you wish to experience a healing? Maybe in some relationship of your life there is a need for the healing grace of forgiveness. What addiction in your life gets the best of you at times? In what area of your life is Jesus not yet Lord?
This week’s Gospel speaks of the healing of two women. It tells two different stories that are woven into one. They both involve women in crisis. We don’t know them by name, just by their need.
If you will, imagine ourselves as that 12 year old girl and Jesus taking us by our hand and telling us to rise and live: “Talitha koum.” Jesus gives life not only to the dead but to those of us who are only partially alive. Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves because of some illness or setback, may we hear the healing of Jesus being spoken to us. In deep gratitude, enjoy the blessedness and giftedness of this day and make a difference in someone’s life as a way of sharing your giftedness with people in need. Our life really, really is a gift of God.
May you hear the words of Jesus spoken to you: “Talitha koum” and “Do not fear but believe.” Jesus is here today, and you have a chance to touch not only his clothes but his very body. This is what we are privileged to do in the Eucharist. Let us put our heart and soul into that privilege. May we trust that the healing grace is meant for. you and me.