Monday of Week 14 in Ordinary Time (Year II)
Hosea 2:16,17-18,21-22 | Psalm 144:2-9 | Matthew 9:18-26
Today’s gospel speaks of two familiar miracles: the raising of Jairus’ daughter and the healing of the haemorrhaging woman from a touch of Jesus’ cloak. Mark’s telling of the same (Mark 5:21-43), paints a very dramatic, almost superheroic portrait of the events: of power drained from Jesus, a rapid healing factor and “WHO TOUCHED ME?!?!”
Matthew instead takes a drier, more matter-of-fact approach: People in dire straits, Jesus cures them, all in a day’s work, move along, nothing to see here. If anyone could turn miracles into meh, Matthew is certainly a front-running candidate.
And yet, from Jesus’ perspective, it really was all in a day’s work. It was precisely what He came to do: heal the sick, raise the dead, convert the living. While Mark accurately conveys the wonder of the bystanders in Jesus’ time, Matthew’s writing conforms better to our modern Christian point of view: We know Jesus is the Son of God, so we know such miracles are well within His abilities.
So when we ask for healing of ourselves and our loved ones, or for protection against the Evil One (as Fr. Simon Pereira depicted so vividly in his sermon at Church of the Holy Spirit yesterday), there’s no reason to be tentative.
Lord Jesus Christ, You are true God and true man. You have known our pains, our weaknesses, our failings. Cast your healing shadow upon us and make us whole again, in body, mind and spirit. To the Holy Trinity be all glory, honour and praise, now and forever. Amen.