13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Wis. 1:13-15/2Cor. 8:7-15/Mk. 5:21-43)

We hear in this Sunday Gospel how a sick woman had the most amazing faith in Jesus Christ. She believed all she had to do was touch the hem of his robe and she would be well. And just as soon as she made contact with Jesus, power flowed out from him and healed her. Here we can draw close to Christ the almighty God, very close, depending on the depth and intensity of our faith. And we too need his healing touch in our lives, physical and spiritual.

The human condition that we all share is generally in need of healing. There is a lack of wholeness in us. It may be physical, mental, spiritual or a combination of them all. We are often fearful, insensitive, unforgiving, vengeful and unappreciative of goodness and beauty in others or in the world of nature. Each of us knowns our own weakness. And we want to be healed, made whole again.

So, we need faith in ourselves, but above all in Jesus. We have to believe that he believes in us, and that he is eager to heal us of our infirmities, whatever they are. The whole gospel is evidence of this truth. Jesus does want people to believe that they are worth being healed.

For the Gospel to come alive we must live it. Jesus our God heals each of us in different ways and different means such as we pray, we receive sacrament and intimacy with Jesus and support of others. We still of course do need doctors, nurses, psychiatrists…to help us to heal. But we absolutely need Jesus because only he can touch our spiritual lives and heal us.

This may be the ultimate act of faith that we with all our human weakness and imperfections are not only worthwhile, we are essential to Christ Jesus, and to our world. Because through our suffering and dying we share Christ’s redemptive mission. Because of us, this has to be, it will be, a better world.

Sunday Mass: 11 a.m.

Welcome all of you.