13th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B]
June 27, 2021
Mark 5:21-43

In today’s Gospel, we encounter two persons who are seeking healing. One is Jairus, the synagogue’s official, who wants his dying daughter healed, and the second one is a woman who desires to be cured of her incurable haemorrhage. Both have done almost everything but in vain. Then, as their last hope, they turn to Jesus. They humbly beg Jesus and trust that Jesus can work miracles.

Often, we can relate to the situations of Jairus and the woman. Perhaps, like Jairus, we are panicking when we know our little children are having fever and experiencing pain. Maybe, like the woman with a haemorrhage, we are battling a particular illness. We try almost everything, spending a lot of money and enduring painful treatments, yet we are not getting any better. We realize how limited and fragile we are. We have no one to turn to but God, and we become instantly pious and start praying different novenas, attending the mass, and healing services. The thing is that while some of us may receive miraculous healing, some may not.

One of the best times during my seminary years is when I was assigned to the hospital as an associate chaplain. I had to visit different patients and attend to their spiritual needs. There, I talked to several people battling cancers for years. I listened to several men and women who were losing their kidneys and had to undergo countless dialysis. Initially, I thought I possessed the gift of healing, but after several intense prayers of healing, not much happened. I realized that I did not have the unique gift of healing, and it was a bit frustrating to learn that the conditions were not getting better. I finally asked, “why didn’t God answer our prayers?”

Yet, as I journey together with them, each one has a story to share and has a face to show. They were not just a man with cancer or patient B21, but a real person with real name and real life. It is only when I see deeper in each story, in each tear, in each pain, I gradually discover the presence of God. God’s love is felt through the care of selfless family members. His hope is heard through the effort of tireless doctors and nurses. His presence is inside those people who continue to offer me a smile despite the pain they endure.

Jesus indeed healed Jairus’ daughter and the woman, but He did not come to cure every illness in the world. His healing is beyond mere physical wellness. He comes so that we receive salvation and eternal life. He comes so that we may touch and feel God’s love in our midst, and His graces empower us to love beyond our imagination. Indeed, we may not find physical healing, but we may discover what is truly essential in life. Wealth can quickly disappear, success can be instantly blown away, and physical appearance can deteriorate, but faith, hope and love remain. Indeed, we may not see our beloved getting better, but we are allowed to love, serve and sacrifice beyond human limitations. In sickness and even death, if we have faith in God, we grow and find the fullness of life.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP