In the Gospel, Jesus and His disciples went down the boat and a huge number of people crowded around them. I could imagine the people moving left and right, pushing forward, trying to squeeze their way in just to get a glimpse at or get near Jesus. Also, the Lord and His disciples may have had a hard time moving because the crowd was pressing against them. But despite the noise, the heat, and all the possible discomfort, Jesus made time to entertain the plea of Jairus. Moreover, He also took notice of the woman with hemorrhage who just touched the end of His cloak.

Today’s Gospel tells me that, like Jairus and the woman with hemorrhage, Jesus took notice of me amidst the crowd. In meditation, I could imagine the Lord looking at me, casting a loving, forgiving, and healing gaze upon me as He extends His arms towards me. I then see myself extending my arms as I push my way against the sea of people so that I am able to hold His hand.

As I situated myself in the event of the Gospel passage, I felt God’s loving embrace and overflowing mercy. Like Jairus, I often go to Him to plead and ask for help in difficult situations. Like the woman with hemorrhage, I approach Him with all my bleeding wounds, offering them to Him, and trying my best to get near Him and touch even just the tassel of His cloak so I may be healed. This fruit of meditation ushers me to be more confident in approaching the Lord. It also challenges me to open myself up so that I may become more sensitive to those who are in need.

By: Sem. John Paul T. Toting

Today’s Gospel

Mk 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.

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.