Today's Gospel Reading - July 1, 2012 with Reflection

1^ST READING - Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24

Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13

R: I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

1 [2] I will extol you, O Lord, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. 3 [4] O Lord, you brought me up from the nether world; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit. (R) 4 [5]Sing praise to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 [6] For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will. At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing. (R) 10 [11] Hear, O Lord, and have pity on me; O Lord, be my helper.” 11 [12]You changed my mourning into dancing; 12 [13] O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks. (R)

2^ND READING - 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.

Mark 5:21-43

21 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. 22 One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet 23 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.” 24 He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. 25 There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 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. 27 She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. 28 She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” 29Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” 31 But his disciples said to Jesus, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” 35 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?” 36 Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” 37 He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 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. 41 He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” 42 The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. 43 He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

SABBATH

HUMILITY IS POWER I’m not sure about the veracity of this story but I share it nonetheless for the lesson it gives. It was said that the son of Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, dined in a restaurant and gave the waiter a gratuitous $100 tip. Bill Gates went to the same restaurant the next time and gave the same waiter a $10 tip. The waiter told Bill Gates of the tip his son gave and Bill Gates replied, “Well, what can I do? He is the son of a billionaire. I, however, am a son of a farmer.” What is the moral of the story? Bill Gates may be the richest man in the world but his feet remain solidly planted on the ground. He never forgot his roots. His riches never got into his head. Jairus was a synagogue official. He was a well-respected man. He had authority and power. He must have always been in control — always over and above every situation. But not over the condition of his daughter who is near death. He heard of Jesus of Nazareth, the lowly son of a carpenter. He came to Him, “fell at his feet and made this earnest appeal: ‘My daughter is critically ill. Please come and lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live.’” Imagine the humility the official had to summon to accept that no, he is not in control, that his power and authority are limited after all. Jesus rewarded that humility with the cure of raising back his daughter to life. Humility attracts the attention of God. Arrogance and pride repulse Him. Pride was the first sin of the first man and woman. Pride, the temptation “to be like God” apart from God, was the first sin that God condemned. Today’s Gospel is a beautiful reminder for all of us. Positions of power are never meant to be used to overpower others, to lord over. The Christian proposal is quite the opposite. Positions of power are meant to empower the other, especially the weak and the vulnerable.Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you in any position of power or responsibility? Do your subordinates feel empowered by your authority? Lord Jesus, You came to serve, not to be served. Make my heart like unto Thine. Amen.

Blessed Junipero Serra, pray for us.


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