Jarius daughter and the woman in hemorrhage

We are now on the thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and our nation just witnessed President Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte supposedly blaspheming God. Indeed, we elected him president, but not be our bishop or priest to preach us the doctrines of the Catholic Church. From day one, we already knew Duterte no longer belongs to the Catholic Church, so whatever he says about our doctrines should have no negative effects on us. However my group already decided he needs more of our prayers than anything. Today's gospel reading comes from Mark 5: 21-43.

"21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jarius, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24 So Jesus went with him.

"A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had; yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

"30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' " 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

"35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jarius, the synagogue leader. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher anymore?" 36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe." 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." 40 But they laughed at him.

"After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (means "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was 12-years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat."

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Today's gospel tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ can't just heal but also raise the dead back to life. If you have a medical problem like cancer or something similar, one of the best things you can do is pray to God for some kind of medical reprieve. Unfortunately, there are many who learned about their medical episode too late and even the medical experts are at a loss about what to do with your situation. But in your situation, only our Lord Jesus Christ can bring hope for you. If God blesses you with a longer life, then call yourselves lucky. But if he takes you now, call yourself even luckier that our Lord wants to meet you already. After all, death is not the ending of life but a new beginning for life eternal.

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