When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.
While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
Gospel Trivia:
Faith is the center of this episode.
The synagogue official is a member of the board of elders responsible for the management of the synagogue. He is an important and learned man, and a religious one; yet, at this point, he has no recourse but to turn to Jesus.
The official's faith is further tested by the people around him who have given up hope because the daughter is dead -- "your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Further, when Jesus says that the daughter is only sleeping, the people around "ridiculed him."
Then, Jesus performs the miracle. Death is not the end, but is only "asleep." The faith of the official sees through death.
We can probably identify with Jairus, a person with means, and yet his means cannot rescue him. When we are desperate, when it is most difficult to keep the faith, the gospel tells us that this is precisely the time to believe in Jesus.
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), p. 46.
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