Holding on by a thread

Sisters and brothers in Christ, there is a meme going around on social media with the image of the woman afflicted with hemorrhages reaching out to touch the cloak of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The meme has this phrase: "If you are holding on by a thread, then let it be from his cloak." What a powerful image and message for us to hold on to in times of distress! May this image help remind us that Jesus is there with us in those moments ready to heal us when we turn to him with faith, saying to us: ". . .your faith has saved you.

Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."

Moreover, in the story of Jairus, a synagogue official, who sought out Jesus to heal his daughter, we hear these comforting words from Christ: "Do not be afraid; just have faith.” You see, the people from his house wrote his daughter off as died but healed her. There will be times in our lives where others might "write us off" whatever the reason may be. However, even though others might have already given up on us, our Lord Jesus Christ will never give up on us. Therefore, we should never give up on ourselves. Jesus will heal us and restore us but, like the hemorrhaging woman and the synagogue official, we must do our part - seek Jesus out with faith.

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Gospel of the Day

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.

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 him,

“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.