The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today alert us to the need for patient acceptance of events that seem to be in conflict with our faithful relationship with God as we trust in a loving healing of our distress.
In the reading from the Second Book of Samuel, David Mourns for Absalom.
Psalm 86 is supplication for help against Enemies.
* [Psalm 86] An individual lament. The psalmist, “poor and oppressed” (Ps 86:1), “devoted” (Ps 86:2), “your servant” (Ps 86:2, 4, 16), “rescued…from the depths of Sheol” (Ps 86:13), attacked by the ruthless (Ps 86:14), desires only God’s protection (Ps 86:1–7, 11–17). (Psalms, PSALM 86 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, a girl is restored to Life and a woman healed.
* [5:21–43] The story of the raising to life of Jairus’s daughter is divided into two parts: Mk 5:21–24; 5:35–43. Between these two separated parts the account of the cure of the hemorrhage victim (Mk 5:25–34) is interposed. This technique of intercalating or sandwiching one story within another occurs several times in Mk 3:19b–21; Mk 3:22–30; 3:31–35; 6:6b–13; 6:14–29; 6:30; 11:12–14; 11:15–19; 11:20–25; 14:53; 14:54; 14:55–65; 14:66–73.
* [5:23] Lay your hands on her: this act for the purpose of healing is frequent in Mk 6:5; 7:32–35; 8:23–25; 16:18 and is also found in Mt 9:18; Lk 4:40; 13:13; Acts 9:17; 28:8.
* [5:28] Both in the case of Jairus and his daughter (Mk 5:23) and in the case of the hemorrhage victim, the inner conviction that physical contact (Mk 5:30) accompanied by faith in Jesus’ saving power could effect a cure was rewarded.
* [5:35] The faith of Jairus was put to a twofold test: (1) that his daughter might be cured and, now that she had died, (2) that she might be restored to life. His faith contrasts with the lack of faith of the crowd.
* [5:39] Not dead but asleep: the New Testament often refers to death as sleep (Mt 27:52; Jn 11:11; 1 Cor 15:6; 1 Thes 4:13–15); see note on Mt 9:24.
* [5:41] Arise: the Greek verb egeirein is the verb generally used to express resurrection from death (Mk 6:14, 16; Mt 11:5; Lk 7:14) and Jesus’ own resurrection (Mk 16:6; Mt 28:6; Lk 24:6). (Mark, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)
George Butterfield (2014) comments that in the Gospel today both fathers reach out to men who they believe can help, men they trust. The first man’s hopes are dashed. The second man celebrates.
David trusted Joab and he failed David in one of the most important episodes of his life. Jairus trusted Jesus and saw Death flee from the presence of He who is Life. The heading for Psalm 86 is “A prayer of David.” We do not know when in his life he prayed this prayer. We only know that, by now, he knows what Jairus knew. He knew that it makes a difference where you place your trust. He declares: You are my God. I trust in you. (Butterfield, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “The long-suffering of parents,” by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD).
"Let us, if it is pleasing to you, speak for a moment of the pains and anxieties which parents take upon themselves and endure in patience out of love and affection for their children. Here, surrounded by her family and by the sympathy and affection of her relations, a daughter lies upon her bed of suffering. She is fading in body. Her father's mind and spirit are worn with grief. She is suffering the inward pangs of her sickness. He, unwashed, unkempt, is absorbed wholly in sorrow. He suffers and endures before the eyes of the world. She is sinking into the quiet of death... Alas! why are children indifferent to these things! Why are they not mindful of them? Why are they not eager to make a return to their parents for them? But the love of parents goes on nevertheless; and whatever parents bestow upon their children, God, the parent of us all, will duly repay." (excerpt from SERMON 33.2)
[Peter Chrysologus, 400-450 AD, was a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the 5th century] (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 5:21-43 comments that we may experience seasons when life is challenging, and we feel discouraged, much like the suffering woman. Maybe we have exhausted all other options and are losing hope that God cares about our pain. At these moments, we can remember the woman’s perseverance and tenacity as she pushed her way through the crowds to reach out to Jesus. We can trust that God does hear our cries. He will give us the strength we need.
Jairus and the hemorrhaging woman sought out Jesus because of the circumstances in their lives. They needed him that day by the Sea of Galilee, and they would always need him. And so will we. This is why Jesus came.
Whatever your current circumstances, go to the Lord today and confess your need for him. In that honest place, he will always meet you.
“Father, I need you. I know that if I reach out my hand to you, you will lift me up.” (Meditation on Mark 5:21-43, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the story of the death of Absalom and the deep remorse of David and the wish of the parent to change places with the son. The two healings of the Gospel are presented within a Marken sandwich. The presentation of these events in Luke omits the reference to failed doctors and the message in Mark that Jesus did not know all things. The reanimation of Jarius' daughter is not a resurrection because she will eventually die.
Brian McLaren points to the difference between domination and dominion in the Bible.
The book of Genesis is often blamed for the domination story because, in the Garden of Eden story, human beings are given dominion over the rest of creation (Genesis 1:28). People assume dominion means domination, but I don’t think you have to read the story that way. The nature of God in the first creation story isn’t God dominating and forcing the world into a certain mold. It is “Let there be light.” It’s a permission-giving power.
It’s such a fascinating phrase: “Let there be light.” And also “Let there be land, let there be sea, let there be crawling creatures, let there be fish, let there be humans.” It’s a permission-giving rather than a domination. Then when human beings are made in the image of God, and God says, “You can have dominion,” we would expect it should be the same kind of gentle presence rather than a dominating, controlling, exploiting presence. It’s not “Let there be exploitation.” It’s very, very different. [3] (McLaren, n.d.)
We are reminded to hold to our trust in God even as it might be questioned during the times in which we experience great suffering or anxiety for our loved ones.
References
Butterfield, G. (2024, January 30). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 30, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/013024.html
Mark, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 30, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/5?21
McLaren, B. (n.d.). The Story of Domination. Wikipedia. Retrieved January 30, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-story-of-domination/
Meditation on Mark 5:21-43. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 30, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/30/885407/
Psalms, PSALM 86 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 30, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/86?1
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Woman Who Took Heart in Jesus. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 30, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan30
2 Samuel, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 30, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2samuel/18?9
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