PERSISTENT FAITH IN THE FACE OF HOPELESSNESS

Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Bible Readings: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43

In the gospel reading of last Sunday, we witnessed Jesus’ miraculous power as he calmed the storm, demonstrating his authority over nature and his ability to bring peace amid chaos. In the gospel reading of this thirteenth Sunday, we witness two intertwined miracles of healing and restoration. Here, Jesus heals a woman suffering from hemorrhage for twelve years and raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead. These miracles reveal to us Jesus’ compassion, his power over life and death, and his deep desire to restore us to fullness of life. Through these miracles, Jesus shows us that he is intimately involved in our struggles and that his love and mercy transcend all boundaries.

In the first part of the gospel, we encounter Jairus, a synagogue official, who approached Jesus with a plea to heal his dying daughter. As a synagogue leader, Jairus was likely a man of considerable status with servants under him. Yet, he came in person, fell at Jesus’ feet, and pleaded earnestly for his daughter’s life. Two things stand out from this encounter: the humility of Jairus and the faith of Jairus. His act of humility demonstrates his acknowledgment of Jesus’ authority and his own helplessness in the face of his daughter’s illness. He saw in Jesus, his only and last hope for his daughter.

As Jesus headed to Jairus’ house, he encountered a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage. The woman had suffered for twelve years, enduring much at the hands of many physicians and spending all she had without improvement. After these long years of suffering and failed treatments, the woman could have easily succumbed to hopelessness, yet, her faith remained strong. Despite her condition and the cultural norms that deemed her unclean, she believed that merely touching Jesus’ garment would heal her. Her faith compelled her to reach out, believing in the power of Jesus’ touch (Mark 5:34). Her story teaches us to hold on to our faith even when circumstances seem impossible. Faith is a powerful force that can bring about miraculous changes in our lives.

With the crowd around Jesus, we could imagine that other people must have touched Jesus as pointed out by the disciples. But then, something was unique about that woman’s touch. What distinguished her touch from that of the others in the crowd was the profound faith behind it. While many people were physically pressing against Jesus, their touches were incidental, lacking the deep and intentional faith that characterized the woman’s touch. Her touch was driven by a conviction that even the hem of Jesus’ garment held the power to heal her. 

While all this was going, Jairus waited patiently for Jesus. He did not bother about the delay. However, just as at the time that Jesus was done with the woman, some men from the house brought news to Jairus that his daughter had dead. Still, even after receiving the devastating news that his daughter had died, Jairus did not abandon his faith. Jesus’ reassurance, “Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36), reinforced Jairus’ resolve to trust in Jesus’ power over life and death. 

Dear friend, Jairus’ attitude shows us that even in the face of death, we can trust Jesus in the same way as the woman’s attitude teaches that even in the face of hopelessness, everything is possible to God. Jesus’ command to “only believe” encourages us to maintain our faith, knowing that Jesus has power over life and death. This is the same point the author of book of Wisdom tells us in the first reading when he says that God did not create death neither does he delight in the destruction of the living (1:13-15; 2:23-24). May our faith mirror their own faith. Amen.