13th Sunday, Year B: Reflection by Fr Julian Ekeh

THEME: WAKE UP THE SLEEPING CHILD IN YOU: TALITHA CUMI

(Mark 5:21–43)

Jesus, in the gospel of today, did two great miracles. The first was the healing of the woman who had suffered the issue of blood for twelve years and then the raising of the twelve years old girl who was dead.

Let us focus on the second miracle with an eye too on the first.

THE LITTLE GIRL

The little girl represents youthfulness, dreams, passion, zeal, hope, and a bright future. But here is she, down with fever, sick and helpless. She can’t move, she can’t do anything for herself, she can no longer play, her talents are latent. She now depends totally on people. Her dreams may no longer come true. Oh, what an ugly situation! This is the fate of many of our youths today. They do not know which way to go. They are confused. They are just there. They are exploited, they learn to exploit, and they do not live a life of value anymore. Life in themselves and others make no sense. It is sad.

WHERE ARE THE WAKERS?

The sick sleeping child had guardians. These guardians may not necessarily be parents. But in a situation today where no one wants the teachers, the good neighbours, and moral voices to correct and keep their wards conscious, the youths mess up and perish messing up.

Glory to God for the man Jarius, in today’s gospel. He did not come to exploit. He did not want to take advantage of the helpless girl. He did not want to allow her to die.

The sick girl maybe an alcoholic, she maybe a sex addict, she may not be just under-aged in number of years but ‘under-graced’, ‘under-faith’ naive about life, myopic in issues of relationship, just sick about many things.

TAKE THE RIGHT STEP

Go to Jesus. Invite Jesus for that sick person who lacks knowledge of how to handle his or her problems, who is lying on the ruins of money-making madness, moral decadence, and faithlessness.

Jesus may seem to delay. Listen as He tells you today: Don’t give up on him or her.

At a time, Jarius thought that the girl was totally dead. He thought there was no more remedy to her issue. In the same vein, a good number of moral voices of our land are thinking that it will take only God to remedy the plight of our sleeping sick youths of this generation. This is true, but let’s not give up on playing our little roles to wake the sleeping child in us and in our people.

Some parents have stopped making any effort to wake their children from their slumbers. Don’t give up. Take them to Jesus and take Jesus to them.

FAILED GUARDIANS

Many young little boys and girls are lying sick because they have failed wakers. They are faced towards the wrong things of life. These supposed wakers are busy pursuing money, being entertained, and playing away. They choose to send back the children to school for lesson during the holidays. They do not watch them grow. They may have been infected by fellow students, social media or society. But lack of proper supervision makes these children mature with sick orientation and eventually die with it.

Because of improper training and not knowing where to run to for guardians.

Dear parents and guardians, let us catch them young. Those of you who have got it wrong already, let us redress. Have you spent all you have, your time, and your energy on the wrong things? Run to Jesus for healing.

God alone is the solution for both the young and the old.

The elderly ones should encourage the younger ones to take the word of God seriously, to eat the body and blood of Christ as a heavenly remedy, to stop going for the perishing things of this passing life, to confess their sins, and touch Jesus to receive grace, mercy and holiness. May Jesus help you to be awake and active in all good works.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

Oh God, we thank You for the miracles of raising us from our fallen states. We pray You to give us the grace and zeal to carry out our responsibilities with passion, to rise in holiness, draw closer to You and to help bring others to You through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday to you

(13th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr. B)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh