REFLECTIONS TODAY

Mark breaks his narrative of Jesus’ restoring to life Jairus’ daughter with the story of the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage. This is called “sandwich” technique or intercalation to break a larger narrative.

The woman who barges in the crowd is unnamed, unlike the named religious leader, Jairus—pointing to her inferior standing in society. She must have some financial stability, as she was attended to by many doctors. But “she had suffered greatly” (v 26), most probably in the length of time, the severity of pain, the financial cost of treatment, and the social scorn because of her flow of blood, which renders her ritually unclean.

In desperation, the woman approaches Jesus boldly, secretly, without a male companion, and hangs on to threadbare hope: touching Jesus or even touching his clothes may provide healing from the disease. Then something instantaneous happens: her “discharge” of blood stops. Jesus, too, not fully aware of what is happening, feels the “discharge” of “power” coming out of him and that heals the woman. When the woman, out of fear, confesses the “truth” of her healing, Jesus declares that it is her faith that made her well.

Gospel • Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” 

He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him, and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. ... She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. ... While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” 

Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” 

... He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.