“Deep faith and trust in the Lord.”

Trust in Trials, as exemplified by Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son and St. Joseph's obedient.

Trust in Trials: It represents finding peace during life's storms,

knowing God is present and in control or the promise that God is with us in the boat of life.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30-19:3

Absalom was riding a mule

And happened to meet the guards of David.

As the mule passed under the thick branches of a big oak tree,

his head was caught in the oak tree and he was left hanging between heaven and earth,

while the mule he was riding went its way. Someone reported to Joab,

“I saw Absalom hanging from an oak tree.” 

 

So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them

into Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the oak tree.

David was sitting between the two gates. The watchman posted at the roof of the gate,

on the wall, saw a man running alone. So he called out and reported to the king who said,

“If he is alone, he brings good news.”

 

So the king said, “Move away and stand here.” He moved aside and stayed there.

The Cushite arrived and said, “Good news for my lord the king! Yahweh has done you justice today

and saved you from all those who rebelled against you.” The king asked the Cushite,

“How is the young Absalom?” The Cushite answered,

“May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rebel against you end up like that young man.” 

 

The king was greatly disturbed and, going up to the room over the gate, he wept and said,

“O, my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you,

O Absalom, my son, my son!” It was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”

So the victory that day turned into mourning for all the people, when they heard that the king was grieving over his son. 

 

Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

 Listen, Lord, and answer me.

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊    

Mark 5:21-43

Jesus then crossed to the other side of the lake; and while he was still on the shore,

a large crowd gathered around him. Jairus, an official of the synagogue,

came up and, seeing Jesus, threw himself at his feet; and begged him earnestly,

"My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may get well and live."

 

Jesus went with him, and many people followed, pressing around him.

Among the crowd was a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years.

She had suffered a lot at the hands of many doctors and had spent everything she had,

but instead of getting better, she was worse. Because she had heard about Jesus,

this woman came up behind him and touched his cloak, thinking, "If I just touch his clothing, I shall get well."

Her flow of blood dried up at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her complaint.

 

But Jesus was conscious that healing power had gone out from him,

so he turned around in the crowd, and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" His disciples answered,

"You see how the people are crowding around you. Why do you ask who touched you?"

But he kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, aware of what had happened,

came forward, trembling and afraid. She knelt before him, and told him the whole truth.

Then Jesus said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be free of this illness."

 

While Jesus was still speaking, some people arrived from the official's house to inform him, "Your daughter is dead.

Why trouble the Master any further?" But Jesus ignored what they said, and told the official, "Do not fear, just believe."

And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.

When they arrived at the house, Jesus saw a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly.

Jesus entered, and said to them, "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep."

 

They laughed at him. So Jesus sent them outside, and went with the child's father and mother

and his companions into the room, where the child lay. Taking her by the hand, he said to her,

"Talitha kumi!" which means, "Little girl, get up!" 

The girl got up at once and began to walk around. (She was twelve years old.)

The parents were amazed, greatly amazed.

Jesus strictly ordered them not to let anyone know about it; and he told them to give her something to eat.

 

  Gospel Reflection ：

 “Deep faith and trust in the Lord.”

Two types of suffering confront Jesus today: the despair of Jairus, who is on the verge of losing his teenage daughter,

and the fear of the woman who has endured years of anguish due to a hemorrhage.

The woman understands that touching Jesus will break a specific rule for the Jews. Nevertheless,

she proceeds to do it and gets healed. Jesus, sensing that something has occurred, asks his disciples for an explanation.

 

Jesus, through the evangelist, teaches us that deep faith and trust in the Lord can bring good into one's life.

Jairus and the woman with the hemorrhage demonstrate a kind of faith that can lead to the fulfillment of our prayers and offer comfort amidst our sufferings.

We, too, can approach Jesus countless times, but only when we have faith in Him can those encounters truly change and renew us.

Today, let us ask the Lord to awaken a deep faith in Him, heal us from every disease, and entrust those in mourning and burdened with illnesses to Him.