St. Vincent Ferrer Parish

Life and healing. These are two basic things that man strives to achieve in this world. It is ironic that man, in his youth, struggles to possess wealth,; while in his old age, he uses his wealth to regain the vitality of his youth. Yet, this reality points to a deeper truth. Man’s desire for life and healing is but a manifestation of his ultimate desire: salvation and eternal life.

In today’s Gospel, we hear about Jairus’ certainty that healing and life can only be achieved through Jesus Christ. “Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live” (Mk 5:23). His firm faith on Jesus is also a conviction that this man from Nazareth has power over death and over its offsprings, sickness and sin. This is why the words of Jesus are not only meaningful for Jairus and his contemporaries, they are also meaningful for us who are always seeking for life and healing, redemption and life everlasting.

Jesus tells us, “Do not be afraid; just have faith” (Mk 5:36). This is an invitation to imitate the faith of the woman who had been afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She was sick and suffering; and just like Jairus’ wish for her daughter, she longed for the Lord’s touch that would give her healing and the opportunity to go back to her normal life. In the gospel of Mark, the laying on of hands or touching is a gesture that brings about healing from infirmities (Mk 6:5; 7:32-35; 16:18). But the woman was not only looking for healing; she was expecting more. In Jewish culture, a woman with hemorrhage is considered unclean and should be shunned. The woman’s cure from her ailments meant that she can return to her normal life and belong to her community once more. Such ardent was her desire, she did everything – even if the ritual laws forbade it – to touch Jesus. “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured”(Mk 5:28). Ultimately, her desire was not denied because the Lord saw the woman’s deep faith in the midst of the hopelessness and despair that engulfed her life. Which is important in eyes of the law anyway, “to save life rather than to destroy it?” (Mk 3:4).

Second, the Lord speaks about the little girl as “not dead but asleep.” These words are proof that death is not our end. We will live again, and the Risen Lord will surely wake us from our slumber. Life is more powerful than death, Jesus viewed it. This is why in the book of Wisdom, we are reminded of our true worth: we are wholesome beings who are devoid of destructive elements (1:14). More than this, we were formed to be imperishable (1:14); we are living images of the Creator! This unparalleled  worth that God graced us proves that his “justice undying” (Wis. 1:15).

Third, Jesus beckons, “Arise!” This is not only a word of encouragement; this is also an expression of the Lord’s confidence on the capacity of each human being Jesus believes in us so much that “he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty we might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9).

In our desire to achieve salvation and eternal life, we need to have a strong faith “not in the God of the dead but of the living” (Mk 12:27). This faith reminds us that we are truly living images of God who must live according to his justice. Jesus believes in our capacity to live according to this image. He tells us, “Arise!”

- Rev. Fr. David O. Reyes, Jr.
Sambuhay, Year 22 No. 68

Reading 1
Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24

God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the nether world on earth, for justice is undying. For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his world, and they who are in his possession experience it.

Responsorial Psalm
“I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”
Psalm 30:2. 4. 5-6. 11. 12 13 (2a)

I will extol, O LORD, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will. At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me; O LORD, be my helper.” You changed my mourning into dancing; O LORD, my God, forever will I give thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Reading 2
2 Corinthians 8:7. 9. 13-15

Brothers and sisters: As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as matter of equality your surplus at the present time should supply their needs, so that their surplus may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. As it is written: “Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.”

Gospel
Mark 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 and pressed upon 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 cures.” 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 m 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. The 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.

[June 01]

Saint Justin, philosopher and martyr, was born of pagan parents at Flavia Neapolis in Samaria at the beginning of the second century. Following his conversion to the faith he wrote many works in defense of religion, of which we have only two: the Apology and the Dialogue with Trypho. He also opened a school at Rome in which public debates were held. Justin was martyred along with several companions during the reign of Marcus Aurelius around the year 165.

Prayer
Father, through the folly of the cross
you taught Saint Justin the sublime wisdom of Jesus Christ.
May we too reject falsehood
and remain loyal to the faith.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.