A Reflection from Fr. Gareth Ingham.
The Gospel this Sunday touches on two stories where Jesus performs miraculous healing. (Mark 5:21-43: The girl restored to life and a woman healed). These events are written and presented by St. Mark in such a way, that encourages his hearers to have faith that Jesus is the one who will free them from all kinds of evil, restore into communion those who are separated, and defeat the age-old enemy of death.
This is a big ask, but if someone can do it, Jesus can!
The women who had been suffering for twelve long years was obviously a person of status. She had exhausted the expertise of all the doctors available, and due to her illness was considered unclean and remained an outcast in society, even excluded from the Temple. Her miraculous healing becomes a symbol of Jesus’ power, a sign of restoration and fullness of life. The Greek translation of her words, ‘I will be healed’, literally means ‘salvation’.
People, upon hearing the story of Jairus’s daughter being bought back to life, would have immediately held the resurrection of Jesus on their hearts alongside the promise of eternal life for those who follow in His way.
To ‘be healed and live’ for early Christians would have meant more than just bodily healing. It would have deep overtones of salvation and the promise of resurrection life in and through Jesus Christ.
Often as Christians we can think of Jesus’ promise of fullness of life and salvation, as something that happens to us as individuals. A gift we only receive when our faith is strong enough, and our prayers of the right quality and quantity. We might say, ‘If I get things just right, then I too will be healed’.
But with Jesus, I’m not sure that’s the case.
Having faith in Jesus Christ doesn’t guarantee that our lives will be any easier, that our minds and bodies will be healed, and that our bodily death at the end of this earthly life can be avoided. But in faith we trust, that through our baptism we have died with him and will rise with him together in glory, in communion with one another and all the saints.
It’s a big ask, but if anyone can do it, I trust that Jesus can.
Amen
Fr. Gareth Ingham
Priest in Charge – The Benefice of CRIFTINS with DUDLESTON and WELSH FRANKTON
and The Benefice of PETTON with COCKSHUTT, WELSHAMPTON, and LYNEAL with COLEMERE.
Feature Image: Fontana_-_Raising_of_Jairus’_daughter, Wikicommons, PD.