Jesus miraculously heals a bleeding woman and raises a little girl from the dead. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by building the Virtue of Meekness so he can reject unrighteous anger and approach Jesus with meekness when suffering and by seeking the Virtue of Hope so he can always trust Jesus in times of illness and death.
Liturgy
14th Week in Ordinary time – Monday – Mt 9:18-26
Commentary
As Jesus reclines at table with Matthew and others, Jairus, a well-respected and powerful ruler of the local synagogue (Mk 5:22), arrives and kneels before Jesus, begging Him to raise his daughter from the dead. Jairus risks his social and religious standing by publicly humbling himself before Jesus and by making what certainly would be seen as a desperate and impossible request. Jesus, seeing the depth of Jairus’ faith and anguish, arises and goes with him.
On the way to the dead girl, a woman affected by the slow death of bleeding for 12 years, pushes through the crowd and approaches Jesus from behind, hoping to avoid drawing attention to herself. Ritually impure due to her hemorrhage and an outcast from society and Temple worship, she humbly seeks only to touch the fringe of Jesus’ garment (faithful Jewish men wore tassels, outward reminders to keep the Commandments), faithfully seeking a miracle. Immediately, Jesus turns to face her, mysteriously knowing she has touched His cloak tassel and her specific illness. Because of her faith and His infinite mercy, Jesus grants the woman a miraculous healing, returning her to perfect health and abundant life; no longer unclean, the woman is also restored to the fullness of Jewish sacramental and social life.
Entering Jairus’ house, Jesus dismisses those wailing over the girls’ death, saying, “the girl is not dead, but sleeping”; the crowd laughs at Jesus. After putting them out of the room, Jesus takes the dead girl’s hand and raises her from the dead, returning her to life; magnificently, the first thing the little girl sees is the face of God. News of the miracle spreads like wildfire.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
While there are many astounding aspects of Jesus in this passage (Empathy, Charity, Knowledge, Power, etc.), be awed by His Magnificence (the doing of great and noble acts; a part of Fortitude) as He generously heals the bleeding woman and raises the little girl from the dead and His Meekness (a part of Temperance) as He refrains from justly responding with Wrath to those who laugh at and mock Him.
Reject anger and approach Jesus in meekness when suffering
Realize: Rather than angrily blaming God when a man is inevitably confronted with overwhelming pain and anguish in his life, every Catholic man should realize in times of suffering that meekness, and not anger, opens him up to approaching Jesus and seek His Mercy in prayer.
Believe: Reflect upon Christ’s willingness to answer prayers (CCC 548, 1504, 2616).
Pray: Jesus, Lamb of God, help me build the Virtue of Meekness (a part of Temperance) so I reject anger when suffering, imitate Your perfect example of meekness when disbelievers laughed at You, find the great peace which meekness offers, and meekly approach You when suffering, knowing You will answer my prayers.
Trust Jesus to save in times of illness and death
Realize: Jairus’ daughter was dead and the woman with the hemorrhage was slowly bleeding to death; both Jairus and the bleeding woman place their hope in Jesus and He generously responds with supernatural power that raises from the dead and heals the unhealable.
Believe: Reflect upon the Resurrection of the Body (CCC 988-1019).
Pray: Jesus, Resurrected Christ, help me build the Virtue of Hope so I always trust in Your Divine Power and Charity to care for me, I am filled with joyous hope and peace that You will heal and save me from all illness and injury in accordance with Your Perfect Will, and that You will save me from death to be with You in Heaven forever.