Gospel MT 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.
Reflection:
Each day I go about my business under the illusion that I am the master of my own destiny. Oh, foolish me!
If I only knew how little control I have. In reality, I, and those I love, are subject to the whims of life and chance.
Now and then, life brings me to a full realization of my powerlessness. Today’s gospel is just such an occasion.
The official, a man of prestige and influence, knelt before Jesus and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
The woman, without prestige or influence, suffering from hemorrhages said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
These two people who had nothing in common in life, sought out Jesus in their hopelessness and desperate need.
We don’t tend to pray as fervently from our self-sufficiency as we do from our desperation.
It is through our “desperation” that we realize our powerlessness and that our only hope lies in God.
It is then, like the man and woman in today’s gospel, that we sorrowfully and helplessly cast ourselves on the mercy of God.
The Psalmist tells us, “A broken spirit is my sacrifice, God. You won’t despise a heart, God, that is broken and crushed.” Psalm 51:17
“When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.”
In our despair, we too pray to God. When our prayers are answered, do we give the Glory to God?
Do we “spread the good news throughout all the land?”
“And then he told them, “You are to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.” Mark 16:15