A Peaceful Pace

Scripture – Mark 5:21-24: ²¹When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. ²²Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet ²³and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” ²⁴So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.

Reflection: Word of Jesus had spread to the point where Jairus had enough faith that he believed Jesus could heal his daughter. While he couldn’t bring her, he came himself with his request.

As I imagine what this was like for Jairus, a lot of things come to mind. He would have been worried and scared about his daughter. I expect he would have felt relief when Jesus agreed to go with him. And I picture Jairus getting frustrated as the crowd came into play – slowing things down. I can see him trying to hurry Jesus along – anxious to get back to his daughter. Jesus, however, never seems to hurry.

Lord, you know there are times when I get in a hurry. I’ve become better at that over the years. Not wearing a watch has been a great help. Following your example, likewise, makes a difference, Please slow me down today. Guide me in your timing, not mine.

An Invitation: For anyone interested in sharing their personal reflections from this week’s readings, you are invited to come by the Tim Hortons donut shop at Dix-Toledo and Northline in Southgate tomorrow morning at 9:45am. We’ll have a cup of coffee and see what the Lord has been teaching us this week.

Reading for Sunday, February 3:

Scripture – Mark 5:25-34: ²⁵And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. ³⁰At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’” ³²But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Reflection: How do you think Jairus felt in verses 30-34?