That Greater Power

From the Catholic Liturgy for the 13^th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 1, 2018. Gospel: Mark 5:21-43. Theme: That Greater Power

There’s nothing that brings us as blatantly face-to-face with the stark reality of our limited human condition, than being utterly truly powerless. To be powerless means that the relief to our suffering, the solution to our predicament, the peace we seek in our personal struggles cannot be found from within ourselves.  It means that we need to utterly and humbly depend on the help from a source greater than ourselves to lift us up, to help us deal with our condition, and even to enable us to have peace, serenity and trust in the midst of our struggle.

We Christians have a Name for this power that is greater than ourselves: Jesus of Nazareth. Today’s Gospel places before us two stories of utter powerlessness which teach us that to be powerless doesn’t mean to be hopeless or helpless. They teach us to turn to the One who is greater than sickness and mightier than death.

Jairus teaches us to humbly throw ourselves on our knees before the One who alone is truly greater than ourselves and to place before Him what’s on our mind, what’s plaguing us, whatever destructive behavior we cannot stop or situation we cannot bear.  Then, we must refuse to give in to fear and place our trust in Jesus who alone can lift us up, carry us through our particular struggle, and bring us to that place of interior peace and serenity as we await the outcome.

The woman with the hemorrhage has spent all her money on medical expenses and in her desperation, has endured much suffering seeking a cure.  She is worn out by her suffering, physically exhausted and weak from continual loss of blood, and emotionally wounded by the rejection from her peers.  Yet despite all she has been through, she remains an astounding example of trust in the midst of powerlessness.  She summons up whatever strength she can and battles through the crowd, consciously striving to simply touch that greater power called Jesus.

We can learn from her the importance of making direct intentional and personal contact with Jesus. Even when surrounded by hundreds of people, Jesus knows when an individual has touched Him with intention, with purpose, with faith. Isn’t that amazing? And Jesus blesses her faith, her confidence, her trust. He does more than grant her only a physical healing. He wants a personal encounter with the one who touched Him. He wants to look into her eyes and assure her that she is healed from the inside out, body and soul. He conveys this total healing to her, saying, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

In our own struggles and powerlessness, we don’t need to feel envious of this woman and her opportunity to actually touch Jesus. We Catholics have this same opportunity every time we come to Mass.  We reach out and touch Jesus personally, intentionally, directly, in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.  In the Eucharist, we are blessed to be in the Real Presence of Jesus every bit as much as she was.  Our faith and trust in Jesus assure us that through the action of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine consecrated by the priest are totally transformed into the Risen Lord and so the power greater than ourselves is placed into our hands or on our tongues. Imagine that!

So, as we come forward to receive the Eucharist, let’s do so with the same direct, personal and intentional faith as this woman. Today’s Gospel tells us that as she approached Jesus she said to herself, “"If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."  So, let’s have her same hope in our hearts as we approach Holy Communion, and let’s stretch out our hands with her same confidence towards our Eucharistic Lord, so that we can reach out to touch that greater power whom we call Jesus, who alone can heal us, transform us, cleanse us, and restore serenity to our lives.