The Synaxis of the Holy, Glorious and All-Praiseworthy Twelve Apostles
Read
1 Corinthians 4:9-16; Mark 3:13-19
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today we read about a double miracle – sandwiched within the raising of the ruler’s daughter is the story of the healing of the woman with a haemorrhage. The evangelists thus draw our attention to what the stories have in common: two healings of women; the need for faith; the reward for total dependence on God. But what is equally important is the difference between the two stories. In the case of the ruler, Jesus is approached by a powerful member of the local community, someone who could interrupt Jesus’ conversation without being scolded by the disciples, and expect a solution to his problem. On the other hand, the woman with the haemorrhage has no easy access to Jesus; her condition rendered her an outcast because her constant bleeding made her unclean according to Old Testament Law. She ends up approaching Jesus from behind, like a servant who enters a great house through the back door, unseen by the well-bred guests.
What’s the lesson for us? Jesus welcomed all comers – Pharisees and prostitutes, Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor. Everyone, no matter what their circumstances, could have an encounter with Jesus. Of course, he met different people in different ways, challenging each according to their conditions. But the point is that anyone could be a disciple of Christ – anyone could receive the grace of God. When we feel like we are outside, we must remember that God’s grace is equally for outsiders; when we feel unworthy, we must know that God came to call sinners to new life.