TUESDAY JANUARY 30, 2024
TUESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30-19:3
Mark 5:21-43
ENDURING FAITH AND TRUST IN CHRIST BRINGS GREAT RESULTS
The gospel of today presents two miracles of Jesus which were performed in extraordinary way and received by persons who expressed extraordinary faith. Their doggedness, patience, sincerity of purpose and faith earned them the great miracles of their lives.
Jairus daughter, saw Jairus desperately looking for Jesus. He had been wounded and broken for a synagogue official to go in search of Jesus for the healing of his daughter. This meant that things were out of order. Jesus became his last resort. He humbled himself and sought the help of Jesus. A synagogue official was not normally at peace or in agreement with Jesus but the search for life of his daughter has brought him and humbled him to come to Jesus desperately.
Again, the second miracle saw this woman with a sickness of flow of blood which had kept her unclean and unable to get into any social sphere or mingle with people. It was a death threatening sickness too and the woman sought the help of Jesus after visiting so many doctors and being treated by many who never gave her solution. But this woman never allowed her inhibitions to become stumbling block towards getting healing from Jesus.
She exercised a very deep faith by going beyond her limitations, straining herself, exercising great trust and faith in touching the cloak of Jesus. And it was granted her because of her doggedness, faith expressed and desires.
God listens, hears and attends to us when we show great faith or extraordinary faith and commitment to him. God heals us when we express our trust in him and strains ourselves, when we never allow our conditions to limit us and strive against all odds to reach him and cling to him. God never abandons us if we seek his help and trust in his power. We will always be attended to and our good wishes for life, well-being and happiness will be rewarded.
In the same vein , King David was spared the harassment of his son Absalom even though it did not please David who mourned his son. Yet God will always adjudicate justice on our behalf whenever we openly declare for him, show faith, work with him and live according to his will.
Heavenly Father, we are often troubled, beset and battered by sickness and life threatening conditions. We submit ourselves into your hands, trusting in your power to sustain our lives, to deliver us from all adversities by granting us healing, restoration of life in full. And as you healed and brought to life these two persons the daughter of Jairus and the woman with the flow of blood, continue to administer life, healing and divine favours in our lives and grant us also the gifts of extraordinary faith and trust in you Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
