When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.

“Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (Mark 5:34). Every person longs to hear these words. Part of being human is to suffer and we struggle with this aspect of our humanity. Suffering is painful, exhausting, and draining. The woman with the hemorrhage had the particularly frustrating reality of spending all she had on doctors who were unable to help her, her condition actually worsened despite their care and professional expertise. We may know people who have undergone similar trials with their health. We rejoice in knowing that Jesus healed this woman who had suffered greatly, along with the daughter of Jairus who was given up for dead. Yet a part of us may be troubled by the past and present reality of those who suffer and are not healed. In these situations, it can be helpful to recall Jesus’s exhortation to have faith and be not afraid (Mark 5:21-36).  

—Carl Caceres, SJ, is a Midwest Province Jesuit working on a doctoral degree in higher education and doing spiritual direction at Loyola University.

We Pray to You, O Lord,
In gratitude for your healing 
of the woman with the hemorrhage 
and the daughter of Jairus, 
as well as countless others not recounted 
in the Gospels over the course of human history

You are the Divine Physician who gives life 
Please be with all those who suffer greatly 
and request your aid
Give us the faith to know that you care for them 
and are with them always 
even if they don’t feel your presence, 
and even if they are not healed in this life
Give them and us the courage to 
not be afraid, knowing that you are Lord of all 
and have conquered death 
Nothing can keep us from you 
Amen   

—Carl Caceres, SJ