Monday of 14th week even numbered year
“While Jesus was speaking to them, suddenly one of the officials came up, who bowed low in front of him and said ’My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him.”
Jesus is always available for others and each person is important for him. Everywhere he goes, he does good. Jesus waits and welcomes us with gentleness and humility.He asks us to have faith in Him. The official of the Gospel is taken up with panic when confronted with suffering in him. Jesus listens to him and follows him with his disciples.
We too, like this man, we hope in the gift of Life. And yet how much resistance is in us when faced with the hope Jesus’ Life brings! Despite the fact Jesus is doing his work of salvation in each one of us. This is why this head doesn’t stop at the death of his daughter. He goes to the Lord’s encounter sure that she will live if only he would place his hands upon her.
Still today we enter into this faith that has us touch Jesus who saves us. We believe that he can save us and that he still comes to us today, despite our resistances, or we believe that God is good, that we are created in the image and resemblance of God.
Humanity is like this poor woman who goes off, losing her life, who suffered from death, without any hope, like this little girl who was already dead and whom Jesus is going to encounter.
Jesu carries on with his race of salvation for life.
"Then suddenly from behind him came a woman, who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was thinking ’If only I can touch his cloak I shall be saved.’
Jesu turned round and saw her ; and he said to her ’ Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.“And from that moment the woman was saved.”
Both of these people come up to Jesus with great faith. Both are confronted with hard situations, the death of his daughter for one, and long term illness for the other. They come to him asking for a grace from Him, to find comfort by being close to Him.
What is most marvellous is the assurance with which they ask things of Jesus, things that seem impossible tot hem. They are absolutely sure of being heard and they are banking on Jesus giving them a positive answer they trust him.
Death doesn’t prevent the hope born from faith, for God has overcome death, and he is a guarantee for our hope.
Jesus wants to give life back to us so that we may be alive with a new Life. By the mystery of the Sacraments, Christ manifests his Love to us, we cn still touch Him today in faith. It is the faith of this woman that is at work when she says : ’If I can only touch his clothing I shall be saved.’
"When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute- players, with the crowd making a commotion, he said ’Get out of her; the little girl is not dead; she is asleep.’ And they ridiculed him
But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took her y the hand; and she stood up. And the news of this spread all round the countryside."
Still today, Jesus finds in us this same agitation that he is going to calm down in us! It is after we have put all our objections outside that the Master of life takes in hand our life once more and puts us back on our feet. After having been healed, the Gospel tells us that the woman with a haemorrhage was ’saved’.
We are trying to ’save ’our life and that of other people by giving a meaning to our existence. That saves us from death and gives us strength in sickness. We have the duty to give meaning to our lives and to live so as to give meaning to others’ lives. So we need to touch Jesus and announce Him for He is Life.
We can bring Life to our brothers and sisters by a joyful witness , by praying for them. Here we have the true treasure that remains for everything we do for other people is done to Jesus who gives Life to us.
Tuesday of 14th week, even numbered year
“The harvest is plentiful, the workers too few! Pray therefore to the master of the harvest.”
Hos.8,4..13 Ps.113 Mt.9,32-38
"They had only just left, when suddenly a man was brought to him, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was driven out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed and said, ’Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.’ But he Pharisees said’ It is through the prince of devils that he drives out devils!’
Jesus passed through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.’
Jesus desires happiness for mankind and he seeks this with all his heart without ever giving up.
There is a combat in each person and the Pharisees choose to live with demons rather than be with Jesus.
In our own combats, in our weaknesses and temptations, we come to realise that we shall be confronted to the same choices as at the time of Jesus.
The Good News is that this new Love come within our own reach!
Jesus is the man ’healing all infirmity and all sickness’ !
It is so wonderful to discover Jesus’ Heart announcing the Infinite Love of the Father. This Love of the Father gives us Jesus’ Heart delivering all those who suffer.
’Seeing the crowds!’… Jesus’ gaze spreads out towards Infinity as He sees the crowds are tired and overwhelmed.
“Jesus passed through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.And when eh saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were left to themselves and and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Jesus can appease the hunger of God for mankind despite the misery they carry within themselves, despite their suffering and indifferences Those far from God are still in need of this.
The way Jesus sees is not a critical way, seeing things from the outside, he doesn’t have a moral way of speaking. The way he sees things is full of tenderness, mercy and compassion.
’Seeing the crowds’ !
We might think that Jesus is immediately going to send his disciples on mission by saying : ’Go!’ But no, Jesus says ’The harvest is abundant and so few workers! So pray to the workers of the harvest.’
The wounded Heart of Jesus expresses itself before the wounds of his people. The Prophet Hosea announce this in the first reading : his People no longer can recognise God, not even things coming from God!
When he recognised Him he wanted to walk on God’s paths, but quite quickly this way is perverted in his heart.
’They offer up sacrifices to please me, says God, but what they have given with one hand they recuperate with the other!’
Now, God is here, present with us. He is waiting for us to come back to him.
“The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers for the harvest.”
Jesus sees my heart, suggesting I give him a helping hand to pray very much for the harvest. We ask that we may see with Christ’s’ eyes -so many people are ready to fall into someone else’s arms if only they could be drawn to them.
The way Jesus looks is with compassion, tenderness and mercy! There are few real workers. It is the Father, Son nd Holy Spirit who work for the salvation of the world. He wants to join workers in humanity to them.
Mary is the first worker who believes that God can come and take on a body amidst our humanity. She loves Jesus who is given to her in the Holy spirit. This is how Salvation of the world begins.
At the other end of the spectrum, at the Cross, Mary is so close to Jesus an in her gaze there is nothing but compassion! In her great sorrow she looks to the father for Jesu truly is the man of sorrows.
Today, whenever Mary looks at someone in humanity who is suffering, it is her own Child she discovers, in a really mysterious manner. It really s the hidden gaze of the Father who sees each one of his children so a s to take them out of their misery and distress.
To co-operate in the work of sanctification for the world means to dwell in this gaze of love. It is above all a presence.
Remaining like this in God, letting God dwell within us in this way is something really hard for us : Pray therefore the master of the harvest."
We ask for the grace to remain in the Love of God, in Him who has living waters flow through us.