Jesus Heals our Infirmities

06-27-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Anthony Okolo, C.S.Sp

The first reading tells us that death is not God’s plan for us because we are created for life and death is of Satan. Death came as a result of Satan’s envy and if we live truly and in God’s love even if we die physical we will have abundant life in Jesus spiritually. In the second reading, Paul encourages the Corinthians to imitate the generosity of Jesus in their own way of life.

The Gospel reading of today is a continuation of last Sunday’s reading on the miracles of Jesus. The stories manifest to us the healing power of Jesus when we resign our faith completely to Him. In the first instance, this woman is not supposed to come out in public because in Palestine during the time of Jesus a woman with such illness is regarded as ritually unclean and cut off from family members, community and even worshipping assembly. She has spent all she had to cure herself, but instead of getting better it gets worse. In such desperate need to seek for healing she risks everything including going to the extent of touching Jesus in public. It is such a display of faith that won her healing. She touched Jesus and was immediately healed, Jesus knew that someone had touched Him and asked who touched Him. The poor woman, no longer afraid of who hears her ugly story, comes out openly to say she is the person. Thus, from being nobody because of her ritual uncleanness she now becomes “Daughter”. Jesus no longer addresses her as woman without an identity, but a daughter. There are times we may need to risk everything to reach Jesus and in such a show of faith God works miraculously and raises us from our position to a higher position.

In the case of the healing of Jairus’ daughter we are equally confronted with another display of desperate faith in need of healing. As we are told, he is a synagogue official which means that he is a Jew with a high reputation. He is not just an ordinary member of the Jewish community, but someone with a high responsibility. He leaves all these and approaches Jesus for the cure of his daughter. The first thing we see is the love he has for the child. The second lesson is in his humility as he goes all out to seek healing for the daughter. This is how every parent cares for the life of their children, with passion that they would not mind giving up their own lives for the sake of their children. This is why children are encouraged to listen, respect, and obey their parents since their parents are ready to give all they can for the sake of their children.

The two stories have a lot to teach us about the personality of Jesus and the people He cured. In the first instance we see how Jesus is very much concerned and interested in our situation to alleviate us from shame and pain and sickness. Looking at Jairus and the daughter we see the love of a father for the dying child. The woman represents an absolute faith who risks everything to reach Jesus and she was able to achieve it. In the same way, we are called to risk everything to reach Jesus. Whatever we risk to reach Jesus would always be rewarded multiple times over.

Finally, we see the significance of the number twelve. The woman suffered for a long time and at the twelfth year she was healed. The little girl who was dead was twelve years when she was healed by Jesus. The number twelve has a lot of significance in the Bible. The twelve tribes of Israel, Jesus chose twelve apostles from the many disciples who followed Him and many instances of that abound in the scripture.

I wish you all a blessed Sunday and God’s healing power to visit you and your families.

BACK TO LIST