He said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
He said to her, “Talitha koum,”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 1, 2018
Mark 5, 21-43
Pay attention to the setting today: Peter, James, and John are there. That is a clue that something big and important is about to happen. This is a privileged group who witness extraordinary moments of revelation. There is more here than a one-time event in the life of Jesus. These are not two “happy ever after” stories. The focus here is not just on the value of human life. It is not just about illness or even death. There is something far more fatal that Jesus comes to dislodge and dispel; it is cynicism and despair. The Jesus who walks into that house is confronted by ridicule, and he “puts them out.” Only after that confrontation is settled does he turn and complete the visit. Twice in the stories today, he sets aside fear; he calls for trust in its place. In the end, it is attitudes of the human heart that are at issue here. The real healing is not stopping a hemorrhage or awakening a little girl. The real healing is the restoration of trust when fear has held sway. It is the affirmation of hope when despair and its ugly behavior, cynicism, have taken possession of the heart.
Fr. Tom Boyer