Dearest Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
This week’s Gospel Reading from Saint Mark is one of the most robust of all scripture. It tells the story of the HEALING power of Our Lord. It is particularly weighty because the subjects of the healing were two people who were totally outside the realm of the wealthy and powerful.
The first person in this healing story is a woman who had had a hemorrhage for 12 years. This would have made her an outcast of outcasts. First, simply because she was a woman, she had no status in the community. And second, since she had bleeding, she was even further an outcast, who had to literally live on the outskirts of town because she would have been considered ritually unclean and untouchable.
There was a great crowd around Jesus in the streets and she recognized Him and touched the edge of his cloak. Immediately she was made well and whole. And Jesus said to her “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease”.
After the healing of the woman in the crowd, Jesus when to the house of Jairus where his daughter, who was 12 years old, and had been ill, and had died. Jesus went up to her room with her parents, Peter, James and John. And Jesus spoke to her and said, “Little girl, get up.” And, immediately, she was raised from the dead.
Imagine – a little girl, of literally no status, being healed by the touch of Jesus. Jesus took the time, He noticed her, He valued her and loved her unconditionally. He had mercy on this precious child and raised her from the dead.
My friends, resurrection is all around us! St. Margaret’s is being raised from having been closed due to the COVID pandemic. We will be coming back to worship in person on the first Sunday of July. Who would have ever believed that we would have had to close our doors since May of 2020?
Welcome Happy Morning, age to age shall say.
My friends, may we continue to be one in the Spirit. And let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Jane+
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