Powerful protection

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary involve the protection of God from death and disaster and the restoration by Jesus of health and life. The passage from the Book of Genesis tells of the flight of Jacob from his brother Esau. Jacob sleeps on a stone and experiences a dream of the renewal of the Covenant. This is the form, according to Friar Jude Winkler, of the discernment of the Will of God for many in the Old Testament. The place of this event is called Bethel, the House of God. Friar Jude recognizes that this episode is the etiology of the founding of a Jewish sacred place at Bethel. The promise of God in the Covenant is for lands and descendants. The people respond by promising worship of the One God. Jacob suggests to God that his worship will be conditional on his safety in his journey. Psalm 91 is a prayer for the ongoing protection from God against the dangers which we encounter moving in difficult areas, through difficult times or in loving difficult people. Jesus addresses two serious difficulties in the Gospel from Matthew today. The daughter of a synagogueofficial, Jairus, is sick and Jesus is taken to her and re-animates the girl. This event is also presented in Mark 5:21-43 is more detail with more dialogue. Along the way to the daughter of Jairus, Jesus is interrupted by a woman long suffering with hemorrhage. Jesus remarks that her faith has made her well. These passages of protection, healing and restoration of life are familiar territory for believers who are frequently seeking these for themselves or others. When our petition to God results in the action we have requested, we rightfully praise and thank God. When we are waiting for God to see and do things our way, we need to be open to the Will of God as Jacob and to work with our response to His Will also in the manner of Jacob.