God can see through the smoke and dark clouds of our life even when we are not able to see it clearly

May the Lord give you peace and health.  It is 27th June 2021.  We celebrate the thirteenth Sunday of the year.

We reflect from Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43.

The entire readings talk about one theme as faith.

Story of Last Leaf written by O Henry written 1907.  A young man was sick and admitted in the hospital.  The best treatment was provided from the hospital, yet he always told others that he would die in a few days. So, all treatment failed.  One of the nurses tried to convince to believe that he is getting alright day by day.  But still, he did not believe.  He saw a plant outside his window dying and shedding its leaves left with only one leaf.  He told the nurse that as the leaf would fall in the morning as he would have died on the following day. But the nurse told him that it will not fall, and he must not give up.  For his surprise, he looked outside the window and found the leaf was still green and standing. Seeing the last leaf, he gained strength and healed and got discharged.  As he was coming out, the nurse took him near the plant and showed, it was picture drawn and fitted to the plant.  Yes, if we have faith, we can be healed and lived for the rest of our life.

The author of the Wisdom shares the original intention of God from the book of Genesis that we are made in God’s image and God intended that we live with Him for ever as friends of God.  to be the friend God means to do all that God intends to do through us.  Constantly running a race against the current.

God created for the immortality.  It was the jealousy of the devil brought the humanity down tells the first reading.  Faith is the expectation of living with God.

Faith is not an idea, but it is an action.  “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James. 5:17). St. Paul invites us to demonstrate our faith in action by sharing the gifts God has entrusted to us. “The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.” (2 Cor.8:15). Our life here on earth for the welfare of the others and providing to those who have nothing and bringing them to a level God wants them to be.

Faith is the experience of healing from Jesus.  Faith is the healing touch of God through Jesus.  “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.”

Faith is leaping into darkness says Kierkegaard.  A child caught in fire was asked by a desperate loving father to jump from high story building amidst smoke everywhere. God can see through the smoke and dark clouds of our life even when we are not able to see it clearly.  The two stories are the examples of faith.

The woman with the twelve-year-old haemorrhage had undergone long and painful treatment under various doctors, without getting better. “Your faith has restored you to health,” he told the woman who was cured of her haemorrhage.  And to the official, Jesus said,” “Do not fear, only believe.”

Mark uses his style of presenting the stories in a sandwich to explain a theological.  Mark intertwines two stories to convince us that not to give up however prolonged the time of healing we need to go through.  Jesus needs our faith for our healing.

Mark begins with the story of Jairus’s, halfway, Mark introduces another story of a woman suffering from haemorrhages.  There are things in common in the stories.  Between the woman and daughter of Jairus are women.  Both are being touched by Jesus.  Jairus daughter 12 years old and the woman is suffering for 12 years.  12 means 12 tribes in OT but in NT is the 12 apostles.

It is not about the healing but what Jesus is doing in our life.  the power of Jesus cannot be restricted because of our conditions.  What is dominating our life now?  Faith or superstitious beliefs?

Faith is gift from God.  Unless God gives no one receives.  It is easy to have faith in God when everything goes well.  True faith is proved when we are challenged, shattered, sick and

Whether we have the longing to touch or God’s touches us, we are healed.  The Catechism teaches us in CCC 227: “Faith means trusting God in every circumstance, even in adversity. A prayer of St. Teresa of Jesus wonderfully expresses this trust: Let nothing trouble you.  Let nothing frighten you.  Everything passes. God never changes.  Patience obtains all.  Whoever has God wants for nothing.  God alone is enough.

May the Lord bless us all with the gift of faith.  May our faith make the world a better place and people around a better people.  God bless you.