Talitha, cumi

Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to him; and he was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw him, he fell at his feet and begged him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live." So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed him and thronged him.

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If only I may touch his clothes, I shall be made well." Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that a power had gone out of him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see the multitude thronging you, and you say, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."

While he was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid, only believe." And he permitted no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then he came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When he came in, he said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. But when he had put them all outside, he took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with him, and entered where the child was lying. Then he took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. But he commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

- Mark 5:21-43

This great story in Mark's gospel is so revealing in a number of ways. I particularly like the juxtaposition of Jesus' healing nature in this story. As he is on the way to Jairus' house to attend to Jairus' daughter, another unexpected development happens; it is a woman with many years of suffering who is being healed. And then he continues on his way.

We continue with the theme of healing in Mark's gospels. We recall from Saturday's reading that Jesus -- on the other side of the Lake, in Gentile territory -- has healed a demoniac who called himself "Legion" because of the many demons who possessed him. He has sent out the healed demoniac to testify among his own people of the "great things the Lord has done for him." Today, Jesus is back in Jewish territory. The ruler of the local synagogue has come to him for help.

Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to him; and he was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw him, he fell at his feet and begged him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live." So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed him and thronged him. My study bible points out here that not all in the Jewish leadership oppose Jesus: Jairus is a ruler of the synagogue. His supplication is intense and deeply sincere. He wishes help for his little daughter: a clear devotion of love.

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. We get a picture here of a great crowd swirling about Jesus. He is on his way to help Jairus, one of the leaders of the synagogue, to attend to his little daughter. This young girl is about twelve years old, just in the beginning of starting an adult life. But there is someone else in the crowd with faith who has deep need of Jesus -- someone who has suffered for many years, whose adult life of child-bearing is over, whose funds have gone to many physicians with no help. And worse: her health is worse than it ever was. For she said, "If only I may touch his clothes, I shall be made well." Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that a power had gone out of him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" My study bible has a note hear that points out the energy that it takes to heal. Jesus is immediately aware of the energy that has gone out of himself, but he cannot see where it went -- perhaps he is simply calling out the woman from the crowd. In the Eastern Church, "energy" is used for Grace. Here the word is power (Gk. δύναμις, "dynamis"). My study bible notes: "This power is a manifestation of the one, uncreated power of God, 'the power of God to salvation' (Rom 1:16)." But his disciples said to him, "You see the multitude thronging you, and you say, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction." My study bible points out that Jesus takes care to note that it is the woman's faith that has made her well. To quote another note here: "God's power of energy is available to people as grace from Him. Jesus says, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well,' showing that while divine power healed her, the woman's faith participated in the healing."

And yet, Jesus continues on about his day of ministry. He is still on the way to Jairus' house, to help his little daughter. I love that in Mark's gospel, we are continually given an unhurried picture of all the events of Jesus' days and his ministry and teaching, and healing.

While he was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid, only believe." And he permitted no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. The terrible news does not faze Jesus, but he continues to Jairus' house. First he tells Jairus (the ruler of the synagogue) to keep faith, "Do not be afraid, only believe." But this is a far more serious event happening here, and in a sense mirroring the hidden nature of the healing of the woman in the crowd that must be drawn out, Jesus now sends the crowds away and takes with him only his inner circle of Peter, James and John. Then he came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When he came in, he said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. But when he had put them all outside, he took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with him, and entered where the child was lying. Another crowd is encountered at Jairus' house. They were weeping and wailing in classic mourning for the girl. But Jesus chastises them: "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." For this, Jesus is ridiculed -- and we recall that in his home territory this is not such a strange occurrence. Again, we have a sense of something special happening here, hallowed, a setting apart takes place. All the crowd must leave. Those without faith cannot attend and witness. Only the father and mother, and those he brings with him, are allowed to enter where the child was lying. Then he took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. But he commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat. Once again, a great healing comes via touch. Jesus' healing touch is the act of great power, the presence of the love of God that touches and reaches to us all; that restores. And in that touch, no illness, no ailment, no problem, and no social status is "unclean" or makes unclean. Love cleanses all. It is important to understand the shift in perspective that Christ brings with him in his acts of healing. The words "Talitha, cumi" are etched into our historical understanding and imagination; we must see a specific notation like this as significant. The words are in Aramaic, the spoken language of the Jews in Jesus' time. My study bible notes that this is once again a command: just as Jesus has commanded in recent readings the storm and the sea, and a legion of demons, so here he commands a "dead girl" and she obeys. All are in amazement at what has happened, but he commands them all to silence. We are again in Jewish territory, and news of the expected Messiah is not what Jesus wants; he has his own ministry to present, his priorities and teaching, and it is most important of all that his mission proceed as is necessary to him and to the Father. It is not time for that revelation. (We contrast this with the "good news" that he sent the healed demoniac to proclaim among his friends in yesterday's reading.) It is back to "usual life" -- Jesus tells them to give the girl something to eat. His concern is with what he came for: the complete restoration of the child.

So, in today's reading, we have two women who are healed. One is much older, at the end of her time of childbearing, and in terrible health with a flow of blood that has gone on for many years. She is also destitute, having spent all of her funds on doctors, with her health only worsening. And the other is young, on the verge of her childbearing years, the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue. We could not find two women more apart in status, socially and otherwise. And yet there is time for both. The older woman's bloodflow would certainly have rendered her socially unfit to be touched by Jesus, unclean; but such is the case in some sense with both -- the other younger woman is "dead." Jesus has time for both of them; his healing power is used for both. He breaks all taboos in his ministry, regarding gender and notions of the unclean or unfit to touch. He loves the both of them. Jairus is the father to one; Jesus calls the other "Daughter." It is faith that is the common denominator at work here: the faith of the woman who touched Jesus' clothes, and the faith of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue. Faith is the spark that makes the connection for this healing power of love. Faith (in Greek πιστις, "pistis") is much more than belief: it is a word denoting trust, and trust is the stuff of relationship - deep and abiding relationship. It is the substance of love. This is what we take from today's reading. Restoration happens in this place of the one who may be trusted, whose aim is true, and who is sent by the One who is true. This Lent, shall we think today of what we count on as true, what may be trusted in faith in our hearts? Let us think of the sureness of that love and what it means to us, what we feel when we know that we can trust, and how that means we go forward in our lives. What , or rather, Who, do you put your faith -- your trust -- in within your heart?