We know Gospel is called Good News, as it brings generally positive messages. The Gospel passage of this Sunday is also Good News in that way, as Jesus heals two people; two women: one is old the other is child.Yes, being healed or getting life after death is a great thing. And there is no doubt; these are good news for many.
Among these good news, there are some bad news too.
Let us take the crowd in consideration.
There are too many followers surrounding Jesus.
Many were so close to Jesus, so many were touching Jesus.
But none of them, yes even the closest followers were not feeling the power of Jesus. The counter question proves that.
Why couldn’t they feel that power of Jesus?
Was it the problem of Jesus?
No. It was not his problem. His power was for all. We should redefine the “all” here following: “all those who really looking for the healing power of Jesus”.
Many were just “audience” and were moved by the many signs of Jesus.
They moved with him only to see these signs.
They were moved externally only.
They touched and were near to Jesus in the external sense only, but lacked the openness to receive the power of Jesus.
Only this one woman had the external and spiritual openness to receive the Power of Jesus to her life, because she had deep faith in Jesus.
Now let us study these two healed people.
One was a woman and the other a girl-child. Women, Girl, Child: all these were not much considered in that Jewish community. (The present situations in many oriental countries are not much better.) They had not much power in their social lives. Yes, both of healed persons in the gospel represent the weak and rejected group. Jesus is considering their powerlessness.
No, he is really accepting their power in faith. This is the great and Good News!
Now let us look at their physical state: the woman had a ‘lifelong’ bleeding: The child was dead as Jesus reached the home of Jairus. The scripture tells us Jews used Blood of the animals as offering and used it for purification of altar and people in their worship. But contact to the bleeding women or injured person will make one unclean! (What a paradox!)
Gospel is actually saying,
according to the Jewish customs,
Jesus becomes unclean by being touched by this woman;
by touching the dead child.
But how can an “unclean” person heal someone, give life to the dead?
Through these actions Jesus is criticizing the customs and practices of the people in a way. He proves, the purity remains in the heart mainly; and not only in the external matters.
He is challenging them to realize the human needs.
Jesus really understands the necessity of the people.
He was able to realize their inner dispositions.
That was a great gift, Jesus had.
My dear friends,
Jesus was followed by many.
But only some people could really touch the core of Jesus.
Many were around him as his ‘followers’. But he only chose 72 people to proclaim his Kingdom of God. And from them he chose again 12 as his Apostles. And even then one of them didn’t reach his target – Judas Iscariot.
The Gospel questions our many customs and practices too.
The Gospel and Jesus are saying very obviously being in the group will not heal you. Faith is not something only to demonstrate.
It is meaningless if one fail to live it in the spirit, in the fullness.
Are we simply the crowd around Jesus? Just following the external signs and fulfilling the customs only? Or can we say in heart that we are really following him. We may be weak to fulfil every Word of God, but remember Jesus decided for the weak and needy and helped them. God bless us to remain humble and remain with him and feel his powerful touch in our lives. Amen!
--Fr Thomas Kalathil
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