30 June, 2024 | Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading1: Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24, Reading2: 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15

Gospel Mk 5: :21-24, 35b-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.

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.

Reflection: The little girl was   dead as determined by those around her.  Her father Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue trusted that if Jesus laid his hands on his little girl, she would be back to life.  

There was also an older woman in the crowds who had been suffering with a severe case of bleeding for 12 years and for whom no physician could help.  She also trusted that if she could be touched by Jesus, she would  be completely healed.

There must have been scores like them hoping for some form of miracle, healing or deliverance, in the crowds that followed our Jesus.  Yet, we learn of only two persons for whom his healing touch became miracles.  Among them all, only two persons could move our Lord with their faith. 

Activity: 

Make a strong prayer of faith today, and surrender the consequences to God – the true testimony of faith.

We are grateful to Parimala Selvaraj for the Reflections on the Gospel for the month of June. They were practical and inspiring. 

We welcome for the month of July, 2024, the Reflections of Sr Aminah Rumilah FSP