Over the past few weeks since the tragic fires in California and the horrible plane accidents, we have felt a sense of sadness, grief and helplessness. We can only imagine how desperate and sad those affected families must feel. Their loss is tremendous.
Such feelings are not unlike the feelings that Jairus and the woman with the illness felt in our Gospel today. Both people were grieving loss and heartache in their lives and desperate for help.
- Jairus was well known; the woman was unknown. We don’t even know her name.
- Jairus had authority, power and influence; the woman was an outcast, ritually unclean, and poor.
- Jairus had a dying 12-year-old daughter; the woman had been seriously ill for 12 years.
Both had exhausted all their options and resources. However, they both had enough faith to take action, and they SHOWED UP. They wanted to be in the presence of this Jesus, the Healer, and bring him the struggles that were consuming their lives. They wanted to believe and needed to believe in his healing power.
But in addition to showing up with faith, they had the courage to STEP UP, and the honesty to SPEAK UP.
Jairus stepped up boldly and spoke, pleading with Jesus to heal his daughter. The woman stepped up trembling from behind and, despite her fear of what the crowd might do to her, spoke up and told him her need.
The Gospel tells us that healings took place beyond Jairus’ and the woman’s wildest expectations.
Perhaps Jairus and the woman can teach us about our own relationship with Jesus. We may be faithful in showing up here each day to be in Jesus’ presence, knowing God will be faithful to us. But, in addition, a big part of deepening our relationship with Jesus is stepping up to him with courage, risking what Jesus may be asking of us, and speaking up honestly about who we are and our need for healing.
May the example of Jairus and the woman, their faith in showing up, their courage in stepping up, and their honesty in speaking up, be a source of inspiration and healing in our own lives and in the lives we touch.
