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Gospel: Matthew 9: 18-26
While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“”My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.””
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “”If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.””
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“”Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.””
And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “”Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.””
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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I was called to the ICU twice the day I wrote this sermon. In both cases, relatively young patients were knocking on death’s door while their families were surrounding them, praying for a miracle.
What I witnessed that day reminded me of what’s unfolding in today’s Gospel.
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There are two people who are sick.
One is a twelve-year-old girl, and the other is an older woman who’s been hemorrhaging for the last twelve years. Together, they represent all of humanity.
The young girl represents every child who suffers, along with the pain and helplessness of their parents. The older woman represents all who are aging, whose minds and bodies have weakened over time.
In the middle of it all, there is Jesus, the compassionate healer who comes to their aid.
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What does this Gospel passage mean for us? Or what does it teach us about Jesus?
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First and foremost, that healing comes from God. Without Jesus, neither of these two people would’ve been healed – or saved.
Sometimes that healing is immediate, as is the case for the twelve-year-old girl.
For others, it takes time, as is the case for the woman who was hemorrhaging for twelve agonizing years. Thankfully, she never gave up.
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Perhaps today we can pray for all who are sick – including those who find themselves in the ICU. May the Lord grant them the healing they desire.
If that healing is not immediate, may their loved ones do what we all should in times of distress – persevere in prayer.
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Image credits: (1) Shadia Hrichi (2) Good News Unlimited, Ritchie Way (3) Sherry Schumann