Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Mt 9:18-26

Today, we hear the story of the two miracles from St. Matthew, which we heard last Sunday from the gospel of Mark. They are the same stories. They are wonderful and unique stories; we may get a lot out of them. Both stories tell us about faith and reaching out to Jesus for healing. Out of great faith in Jesus, the hemorrhaging woman reached out to Jesus, and she got cured. This woman would represent someone suffering but with great faith and trust in Jesus: “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” She is probably like a lot of us. But here is the most amazing point of the Gospel today that I want to tell you.

In the second miracle, the little girl is already dead. She cannot reach out to Jesus. But, it was the faith of her father, Jairus, who brought Jesus to her. The faith of her father saves the little girl.

This gives us a lesson for all of us. Many people might need our faith. Maybe our faith is not only for us alone but for others. But the question who needs our faith? Bishop Baron comments that the little child who was dead represents those who were spiritually dead. Spiritual death, as Bishop Baron explains, is a state of being isolated from God, a loss of faith, a life filled with mortal sins, and a path leading to destruction. Those are the people who need our faith.

If you see any people around you that are going to spiritual death, they might need your faith. Your faith may bring Jesus to them like the story we heard. One of the common things I heard from many parents I met is that they said,” Father, can you pray for my children? They do not go to Church anymore.” I know we do not want your children to become spiritually dead. Now is the time they need your faith. We may need to do something like One woman told me that her children do not go, but they love her, and whenever they ask her what she wants for her birthday, she says, “I want you to go to Church that Sunday” or you may call them and said, “you know Jesus always loves you and is always waiting for you.” We do our best, and the rest of God will care for them. You can also invite them to church events, share inspiring religious texts, or be a good example of a faithful person in your daily life.

May we always remember the powerful message of the Gospel story we heard today: that our faith can bring Jesus to someone who is spiritually dead.

May God bless us all