(Chapters 1:13-15; 2:23-24)
This is one of the latest books of the Hebrew Bible, written about two hundred years before the birth of Jesus. It is filled with wisdom about life and death and, most important, about God.
“God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they may have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome …. (verses 13-14)”.
“For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him” (verse 23).
This is one of the clearest statements in the Old Testament about life after death. The Jews had been trying to deal with the question of the afterlife for centuries, and in the time of Jesus the Pharisees believed but the Sadducees did not. It is all part of God’s continuing revelation that comes to fulfillment in the death and resurrection of Jesus which is our own legacy today—life forever with Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm
(Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13)
“I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me” (verse 2a).
How many times has the Lord rescued you? Probably it has been too many times to count and many times that you are not even aware of.
A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
(Chapter 8:7,9,13-15)
Corinth was one of the larger and more prosperous cities that Paul visited, starting a Christian community. We tend to think that everyone was poor in those days, and by our standards they certainly were. But there were economic classes even then: some had more than others, and the community could work only if people shared.
First Paul writes about the generosity of Jesus: “For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. … not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs, so that their abundance may also supply your needs, that there may be equality” (verses 9,13b).
Imagine if we really believed that and lived it right here in our own country. Poverty would decrease, and equality would grow. Then we would not have millions of hungry children and seniors and single moms and veterans and hard-working people who do not make a living wage in our midst. Paul asked the Corinthians “that there may be equality.” We have the same calling today.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
(Chapter 5:21-43)
Jesus was a remarkable healer. Here, he heals the daughter of Jairus, an official of the local synagogue, and “a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.” This woman had been treated by many doctors and had spent all that she had, but her condition grew worse. Having heard about Jesus, she made her way through the crowd following him and touched his cloak, saying to herself, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured” (verse 28). And she was cured, immediately. “She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has saved you’ ” (verse 34).
Then word came that the young girl Jairus had asked Jesus to heal had died. Jesus responds “Do not be afraid; just have faith” and went to Jairus’s home where he told the incredulous bystanders that the girl was not dead but asleep. “He took along the child’s father and mother and those with him and entered the room where the child was. 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” (verses 40b-42).
This was a “faith healing.” Jesus spoke these life-giving words: “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” DO NOT BE AFRAID! Those are powerful words. Too often, people live in fear, fear of this or that, fear of almost everything. Unnecessary fear can destroy our joy, destroy our lives. Let us remember the words of Jesus, “DO NOT BE AFRAID.” And let us help the people we know and love to live without the needless fears that may be crippling their lives.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved.
Bill Ayres was a founder, with the late singer Harry Chapin, of WhyHunger. He has been a radio and TV broadcaster for 40 years and has two weekly Sunday-night shows on WPLJ, 95.5 FM in New York. He is a member of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Centerport, New York.
The lovely image is by Ed De Guzman, from http://www.touchtalent.com/painting/art/Jesus-the-Healer-51843