Catechism
Links [1]
CCC 548-549,
646, 994: Jesus raises the dead
CCC 1009-1014:
death transformed by Christ
CCC 1042-1050:
hope for a new heaven and a new earth
 |
| “Christ Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus” by Friedrich Overbeck, 1815 |
Readings and Commentary: [4]
Reading 1: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24
God did not make death,
nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.
For he fashioned all things that they might have being;
and the creatures of the world are wholesome,
and there is not a destructive drug among them
nor any domain of the netherworld on earth,
for justice is undying.
For God formed man to be imperishable;
the image of his own nature he made him.
But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,
and they who belong to his company experience it.
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Commentary
on Wis
1:13-15; 2:23-24
The author of Wisdom speaks of “spiritual” death in this first
part of the book (there is a general indifference to the physical life of the
body throughout). The passage is part of a general statement of the work that
through living a just life in accord with the wisdom of God, one achieves
salvation. This notion of eternal life of the spirit is emphasized and the idea
that nothing on the physical plane can cause spiritual death is strengthened (“…there
is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the netherworld on
earth, for justice is undying.”) Wisdom proposes, however, that spiritual
death enters through the devil who may pervert the spirit and ultimately claim
the victory of death.
CCC: Wis 1:13 413,
1008; Wis 2:23-24 1008;
Wis 2:24 391,
413, 2538
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you
have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
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Commentary
on Ps
30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13
Psalm 30 is an individual hymn of praise. In this selection we find
the singer praising God for deliverance. In the second part others are asked to
join in the hymn and then a return to thanks and praise in the final strophe.
The image of the resurrection is clearly evident I the first strophe, “O
Lord, you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me from among those
going down into the pit.”
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Reading II: 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Brothers and sisters:
As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse,
knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you,
may you excel in this gracious act also.
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.
As it is written:
Whoever had much did not have more,
and whoever had little did not have less.
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Commentary
on 2
Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15
St. Paul continues an appeal to the church at Corinth for funds to
support the Church of Jerusalem. In this section of that appeal he uses the
gracious act of Jesus who gave up his wealth (his pre-existence with the
Heavenly Father) for poverty (his earthly life). He then proceeds to introduce
the discussion of equality between the various parts of the Body of Christ (the
Church). The Apostle encourages this fiscal equality to the extent possible but
not to the extent were the donor becomes poorer than the recipient of the
donation. He concludes with a quote from Exodus 16: 18 using the example of the rules imposed
about manna gathered in the desert.
CCC: 2 Cor 8:1-15 2833;
2 Cor 8:9 517,
1351, 2407, 2546
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Gospel: Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him,
saying,
"My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live."
He went off with him,
and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be
cured."
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my
clothes?"
But his disciples said to Jesus,
"You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'"
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."
While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said,
"Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any
longer?"
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
"Do not be afraid; just have faith."
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
"Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep."
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child's father and mother
and those who were 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.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.
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Commentary
on Mk 5:21-43
This selection from Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus continuing his
journey of healing. The passage relates two interwoven examples of the power of
faith in healing. First the Synagogue Official’s plea to Jesus to heal his daughter
is presented. This is important from the standpoint that it is recognition of
Jesus status by the local faith community. An official from the Synagogue would
only consult with one widely recognized as an authority in spiritual matters.
On the way to the little girl, a woman with a hemorrhage that had
been incurable by local physicians pressed in close and touched his cloak. She
was cured and it was as if her faith reached out and touched Jesus unlike the
others crowded around because he felt her touch among all the others. He turned
and was able to specifically identify her. The Lord’s words to her were; “…your
faith has saved you.”
Arriving at the Synagogue Officials house Jairus’ faith was tested
a second time as he was informed his daughter had died. Jesus ignored these
reports and proceeded to reward Jairus’ faith by bringing his daughter back
from death; a sign of his mission to all mankind.
CCC: Mk 5:21-42 994;
Mk 5:25-34 548;
Mk 5:28 2616;
Mk 5:34 1504;
Mk 5:36 1504,
2616
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When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him,
saying,
"My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live."
He went off with him,
and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.
While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's
house arrived and said,
"Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any
longer?"
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
"Do not be afraid; just have faith."
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
"Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep."
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child's father and mother
and those who were 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.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.
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Commentary
on Mk
5:21-24, 35b-43
This shortened form of the Gospel omits the discourse about the
healing of the woman with a hemorrhage. This omission sharpens the Gospel focus
on Christ’s mission for the salvation of humanity through the new resurrection.
CCC: Mk 5:21-42 994; Mk 5:36 1504, 2616
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Reflection:
Today we find ourselves in a world rocked by division. The Supreme Court of the United States has
ruled that in the United States of America, marriage is no longer a contract
between a man and woman, but any two individuals who wish to enter into a marriage
contract. Quoting the dissenting opinion
offered by Chief Justice Roberts:
“If you are among the
many Americans—of whatever sexual orientation—who favor expanding same-sex
marriage, by all means celebrate today’s decision. Celebrate the achievement of
a desired goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to
a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the
Constitution. It had nothing to do with it."
While secular society may regard this decision as an example
of inclusion or even reparation for years of discrimination of those who act
upon their same sex attraction, those of us who hold that our religious beliefs
defined marriage long before the establishment of the Supreme Court (or even
the United States) find this to be a day of mourning as the court codifies
secular sexual morality as the rule of the land.
Rather than resolving an issue that has been divisive in the
country, this decision (like Roe v. Wade
handed down on January 22nd, 1973) will be a focus of contention and
enmity for years to come. Obergefell v. Hodges will become a
rallying cry for those who believe in the sanctity of marriage as a covenantal relationship
between man and woman. The real
challenge will be to maintain our focus on the commandment of our savior to “love one another.”
Quoting the late Cardinal Francis George as he responded to
the Illinois law on the same topic in 2013:
“We are called, by
reason of our belief that every person is made in God’s image and likeness, to
love and respect all of our brothers and sisters, without exception. But we
express this respect within the context of our belief in how God has made us
and made the world. This belief and this love is the basis of our joy in living
the Catholic faith with integrity of mind and heart.”
The Gospel story today speaks of Christ’s healing
ministry. We pray for Christ’s healing
of our country in the minds and hearts of people of faith. We pray also for solidarity among all people
of good will as we, as Church, struggle to adapt to yet another erosion of
Christian values in the society in which we live.
Pax
In Other Years: Optional
Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr
[1]
Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June
2014
[2]
ALTRE
[3]
The picture is “Christ
Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus” by Friedrich Overbeck, 1815
[4]
The readings are taken
from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response
which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy
(ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use
only.
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