We are meant to stage this Gospel in the theater of out imaginations.

Tuesday, 131/12 

It is good for us to let the performers in today’s Gospel act out the drama on the stage of our imaginations.

Jesus had a fine audience on the docks of Capernaum, and the disciples were happy at seeing his teaching go over so well. Then, this guy Jairus from the synagogue had to ruin everything. He butted in, asking Jesus to come lay his hands on his daughter.

Showing no resentment at being interrupted, Jesus, with the crowd following, started up from the docks.

A bent-over woman who had been hemorrhaging for a dozen years edged her way through the crowd. In an aside to the audience she said, “With my flow of blood I make anyone I touch ritually unclean. I wouldn’t want to do that to this prophet; but the holiness radiating out of him is so strong that it could cure me by my touching his robe.”

She got one finger on the sleeve of Our Lord’s robe, and with that, she stood up full of health. 

“Who touched me? Jesus spun around.

Surrounded by the friends congratulating her, the woman came forward, saying, “Thanks, oh thanks, Master.”

Don’t thank me. It is your own great faith that cured you.”

As the crowd approached the synagogue they were met by a throng of people who were beating on pans and blowing on horns in an effort to scare away the hidden demons who were gathered to snatch the spirit of the girl who had just died.

“She isn’t dead, only asleep,” Jesus declared.

“We don’t know who you are, but we know dying when we see it. This kid sent off her last breath, and she’ll never have another.”

Jesus told his disciples, “Scatter this crowd. Just let the child’s parent come into the house with me.”

Mark gave us the very Aramaic words spoken by Jesus. Taking the child by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha, koum,” Or, “Little girl, get up.”

Jesus handed the child over to her mother, saying, “Give the child something to eat.”