2Samuel18:9-10,14,23-25,30–19:3; Psalm 86:1-6;Mark 5:21-43
“Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” (Mark 5:34)
Jesus’ compassion and love really shine out in the miraculous events described in today’s Gospel reading. Moved with pity, he showed great mercy toward people who were in distress and without hope. It’s not surprising, then, that Jesus’ miracles have frequently been called “the good news made visible.”
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “Christ’s compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that ‘God has visited his people’ and that the Kingdom of God is close at hand” (CCC, 1503). Restoring health to the sick and life to those who have died also points toward the transformation that will take place at the end of time. That’s when our mortal, perishable bodies will finally be clothed with imperishability and immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53).
When Jesus worked miracles two thousand years ago, people saw his love and were moved to embrace his message of salvation. The same thing can happen today when we read about these healings in the Gospels. We can see in them Jesus’ invitation to open ourselves to his mercy and to put our faith in his saving power.
Day by day, God continues to work miracles to bring us to wholeness and deeper conversion. We may not understand why everyone is not healed when we pray. Still, while some are not healed, others are! Even if we haven’t experienced God miraculously healing us, many of us know of wondrous deeds that he has done in our midst—perhaps a parishioner whose brain tumor inexplicably disappeared after prayer or a friend whose hearing improved dramatically just moments after she received the Eucharist.
Just as the woman with the hemorrhage reached out to Jesus, we can reach out to him right now. He will tell us the same thing he told Jairus: “Do not be afraid; just have faith” (Mark 5:36). So let’s all press closer to Jesus. Let’s cry out to him for healing and hope. He loves to answer us with miraculous signs of his presence and love!
“Jesus, unleash a wave of healing power throughout your church. Touch the sick and the suffering, and restore them to wholeness and wellbeing.” ~WAU
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