31 January, 2023 Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

 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.

Reflection: 

Jesus was pressed upon by crowds on all sides, yet He felt distinctly the touch of a woman of tremendous faith. This tells us a deeper truth that just being around Jesus doesn’t work. Many people mistake religiosity for spirituality and think that nearness to the Church or faithfulness to Church’s activities, or hanging out with Church leaders/ or fulfilling mere religious rituals and practices of piety makes them holy. Proximity need not be intimacy of heart. It is all about the disposition of the heart and a personal relationship with Jesus. Power does not go out automatically to all who touches Jesus but only to those who surrender the truth of themselves unhidden and undefended to the mercy of God, that experience miracle of transformation. A quote from St John Bosco whose feast we keep today. "Faith and prayer: These are our weapons and our supports."

Action Plan: 

Pray with a disposition of total surrender to God. Pray especially for Youth and Youth Ministry.