Praise be Jesus Chris, for ever and ever. Amen. Good Morning. I pray that God has blessed you all this week.
Friends remember our penitential prayer this morning. Lord Jesus, you return the dead to their families. Lord have mercy. Christ Jesus, you restore the health of the sick. Christ have mercy. Lord Jesus, you reconcile your people to the Father. Lord have mercy.
It is all from our gospel. Jesus tells us for this, you must have faith.
Remember that and consider these questions.
Where is your faith seated? Is your faith seated in your head or in your heart? Or does your faith exist only in where you are seated?
I say that for a reason, look around us today. How many people are seated in the pews? How many people will be seated in these pews in the future?
A person’s faith is manifest in decisions, life-choices, beliefs, and passions they show to the world. It is testified to all by the commitments chosen and remained in.
Faith is in God or something else. That something else can be arrogance or pride or shame or sin.
Look at the faith shown by our political leaders this week. They display their faith by words and actions against the Church, the Bishops, and even the most holy blessed sacrament of the Eucharist. Faith comes from where they are seated in a position of power.
And faith comes from where we are seated. Sadly, many are not seated at the feet of Christ.
The book of Wisdom tells us that because of the envy of the devil, suffering and death came into the world. The devil wants nothing more than for our faith in God through Jesus Christ to die. Look around, the faith of many is sick or dying. To be healed, they need Jesus. It can be seen in today’s gospel.
Jairus’ twelve-year old daughter is dangerously sick. He believes Jesus can heal his daughter, in faith he falls at Jesus’ feet to ask him to save his daughter and come right away.
And, Jesus turns immediately to go with Jairus.
But, something happens. Someone reached out an touched Jesu and it stopped him in his tracks. Jesus said “Who touched me?”
Incredulously, his disciple’s said, “Who touched you?” Everybody touched you! The crowd is all around you.?”
But, someone had touched Jesus in a special way and Jesus knew it. That person was a woman who had been suffering for twelve years, just as many years as Jairus had had a daughter.
Society and culture at that time believed that blood was unclean. So this woman was considered unclean. She was invisible, unnoticed, and unimportant. Yet, she was desperate for healing; but, because she was ashamed to be unclean she would not approach Jesus as Jarius did.
Yet, she still came to Jesus.
Although the world said she was shamed, that was not the person Jesus saw. He made the synagogue official wait and said “Daughter, your faith has saved you.“
Because of society and culture today, some are afraid to stand before Jesus. They hide in the crowd. Jesus knows them. He knows their needs, suffering, and pain.
In love, Jesus turns to them and tells them, Your faith has saved you.
In the prosperity of our faith in Christ Jesus, we are asked to bring that message to them.
Jarius was a totally different story. He is an important person, an official of the synagogue. Despite his pride and position, his faith was seated for the world to see at the feet of Jesus.
There was all kinds of commotion and weeping. Those at his house said it was too late and they ridiculed Jesus. They said, deny this Jesus; send him away. (Just like the world ridicules us for our faith in Jesus)
Addressing all this commotion, Jesus said, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
Jesus was there with them and he is here with us. Jesus healed those who came to him and set them free from death. He gives us the same healing and freedom.
By the richness of our faith in him, Jesus needs us to tell others, “Get up – have faith.” Faith in Jesus will save you. He wants us to tell the world, Jesus is with us always.
The disciples saw the crowds. The suffering woman saw Jesus.
The mourners saw a dead girl. Jarius saw Jesus and witnessed his faith seated at Jesus’ feet. His daughter heard Jesus call to her.
Our true faith comes from where we are seated.
Our faith in Christ will be our decisions, commitments, and life-choices. Our faith will be testified to all by our love for God and the love for our neighbors.
And, the truth of these things are found in the gospel Jesus Christ. Do not let the world tell you differently.
Friends consider this question, is your faith seated at the feet of Jesus? Be good, be holy, and preach the gospel by the way you live your life and love one another.
Praise be Jesus Chris, for ever and ever. Amen.
