June 28, 2009 13th Ordinary Sunday of the Year Wis. 1:13-15, 2:23-24; 2\Cor. 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mk. 5:21-43 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Readings: http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/062809.shtml                 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________     "Your faith has made you well." The gospel writings describe a close connection between faith and healing. For the suffering Christian, the question lies near: Could I be free from this if only I had enough faith? In other words, is my predicament a result of my own lack of piety?   The answer to this question can be found only when the healing narratives in the New Testament are seen in their right context. Healing is not the goal of faith but faith is the goal of healing. Suffering and lack of hearing are not indicative of ungodliness, but the power to heal is indicative of the true nature of Jesus Christ: he is the Son of God. Faith does not primarily come into view as an instrument for healing, but healing miracles are frequently seen as instruments for inspiring and nourishing faith in Jesus Christ.   There is something very important to pick up on in our lesson. The good news of God's reign and God's overcoming of sickness and death is all about a relationship with God. When Jesus is present to the woman with the continual hemorrhaging and becomes available to Jarius --  healing and life are possible but they are not yet present. God's care is not dispensed automatically, but rather is given when the woman reaches out and the synagogue leader asks Jesus to come and heal his daughter. Christianity is not a passive religion whereby rules and regulations are set forth which automatically bestow blessings and benefits upon those who tow the line. God wants a relationship with us and not religious observance alone.   A central issue of the gospel has do with barriers that need to be overcome before the reign of God is actualized. One of the reasons people tend to see faith as a religion about God instead of a relationship with God is the sense that they are not worthy of the attention of an Almighty God.  "My problems are too small for God to care about."  or "With all the pain and suffering in this world, why would God care about me?" are a couple of ways people give expression to this sense of insignificance. Somewhere, someday, in some experience we will feel insignificant or too sinful or too different to come near to Christ. Our hope may dwindle and our hopelessness grow like a noxious weed. Or perhaps someone we care deeply for will experience the despair of desperation and we will hurt for them.     <<   Previous: 12th Sunday of the year  | Next: 14th Sunday of the year >>     Go Back to SERMONS (Year B)