Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Take heart, your faith has made you well”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:18-26

 

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live." Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter!  Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus performs two different miracles to help two different people. It was the uncompromising faith of the two that yielded Christ to answer their prayers. The first is an earthly ruler that comes to Jesus and must humble himself to ask for help. He tells Jesus that his daughter has died and says, “come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Touched by his faith, he gets up to help the ruler. But before he could come to the aide of the father, a woman who suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years reaches out to touch Jesus’ garment to receive his healing powers. Jesus turned to this woman and said, “Courage, daughter!  Your faith has saved you.” Then Jesus went to the ruler’s house and was able to bring his daughter back to life. In both cases, it was the unconditional faith of the individuals that spurred Jesus to help these individuals. Just imagine, you’re a powerful Jewish ruler and you have to go to Jesus to ask for his help. Not only do the Jews dislike Jesus, they think he is a heretic and one who blasphemies the church. Not only did he go and ask Jesus, but he prostrated himself before Jesus in recognition of the Messiah, our Lord and savior. He does this knowing that his followers and friends were laughing at him. He did this knowing that his followers would not respect him anymore. Likewise, the woman that was hemorrhaging was thinking if she could just touch his garments that would be enough to cure her. So she reached out for him and Jesus, realizing her faith cures her of her aliment. Who do you reach out to help you when you need help? Are you willing to lay it all on the line for Christ?

 

Belief was not enough. Both people believed in Jesus, but Jesus says, “Take heart, your faith will make you well.” We too must have faith. We must not only believe in God, but we must have faith in his powers. Jesus opened his arms for these people and expressed the deepest form of love. He showed them a love that yielded hope and compassion, at the same time. We too can take our problems and troubles to God. We must be sincere and have faith in what he does. We must be willing to prostrate ourselves before him, even when our friends may make fun of us and laugh at us. It is your faith that will set you free. Through Jesus’ actions, we see the infinite love God extends to all of us. He gave this love freely to each person who needed it. This love was able to cure the sick and raise the dead; it was able to expel demons and heal sinners.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, your love is all I need.

It heals my pains and makes me well.

Help me to give that same love to others so that I too can be healing.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon