While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Matthew describes two cases of healing: a twelve-year-old girl on the brink of death, and a woman who’s been hemorrhaging for the last twelve years.
Together, they represent all of humanity. The girl represents all children who suffer, along with the pain and helplessness of their parents. The older woman represents all who are aging, whose bodies have grown weak under the burden of years.
In each case, if the sick person is to be healed, then the Law must be broken.
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According to Jewish Law, if a person touched a corpse – certainly that of a non-family member – then that person was rendered ritually impure, which prevented them from entering the Temple and impeded their access to God.
Yet, when Jesus touches the child’s hand, she is healed. Similarly, when the woman with the flow of blood touches the Lord, she renders him impure. Yet that encounter of faith heals her infirmity.
The irony is stunning.
In both cases, following the Law cements a person’s fate in death. But breaking it in faith leads to life.
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What type of legalism might still exist in the Church today? Are there “laws” that prevent people from encountering Christ?
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If we follow the example of today’s Gospel, then what matters most is not being “perfect” in a legal sense, but having faith in the Son of God, “who has loved us and given himself for us” (Ephesians 5:2).
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Image credits: (1) Unity.org (2) Caritas for Children (3) Pinterest UK
At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Corrie ten Boom was a Christian who hid Jews in her Dutch home during World War Two and funneled hundreds of them to safety. Eventually, she was caught and sent to a concentration camp, where her father and sister died in front of her.
After the War, Corrie traveled to different churches in over 60 countries speaking about the need for forgiveness… Little did she realize just how personal that need would be.
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After one of her talks in a church in Munich, Germany, a man came up to her, asking for her forgiveness. He didn’t know who she was, only that she was a survivor of the war.
But Corrie ten Boom knew exactly who that man was – a prison guard who repeatedly tortured her, and murdered her sister. Upon seeing his face, she was paralyzed with fear and hatred.
Surprisingly, the man said to her, “I’ve become a Christian! I know I did some horrible things, but I’ve received God’s forgiveness. And now I’d like to ask you, as a victim of the war, will you forgive me?”
Corrie remembered thinking, “I could only hate him.”
Suddenly, God’s Spirit came rushing through her body like a blazing fire, compelling her to cry out, “Thank you, Father, that your love is stronger than my hatred and unforgiveness!”
Looking at the changed man, she said, “Brother, give me your hand.” And she embraced him.
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While such radical, almost mystical, experiences of divine grace are uncommon, Corrie ten Boom reminds us that there are certain experiences in life – such as memories of war, betrayal, health scares, or sudden loss – that seem impossible for us to overcome.
We need help. And who better than the Lord himself? “Come to me, all of you who labor and are heavy burdened,” Jesus says, “and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
What kind of yoke was the Lord imagining?
In the ancient world, there were two different kinds. One yoke was made for a single person, which would’ve been placed on their shoulders. Think of someone balancing two buckets of water, one on either side of their body.
Then there was a shared yoke, which was used by animals plowing fields. Farmers often paired a stronger, more seasoned ox with a younger one to teach the young one how to plow. The strength of the older ox allowed the younger one time to grow and develop.
This is what Jesus is describing when inviting us to yoke ourselves with him. He is the experienced ox who never tires, despite the distance, the weight, the rocky soil, and the heat.
Notice, Jesus is not saying that he will give us exactly what we want. Logically, if someone were carrying a heavy burden – either on their shoulders or, perhaps worse, in their hearts – then what they would want more than anything would be to put it down.
But the Lord isn’t offering such an escape, nor is he promising to prevent weight from being added. Rather, he encourages us to make room for two. To walk in tandem. To sync our steps with his so that we are not overcome, despite the challenges we face.
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Imagine being yoked with another person, or tied together in a three legged race. What would happen when you begin moving in tandem? You’d strike up a conversation, likely about how to navigate the road ahead.
Similarly, what happens when we yoke ourselves to Jesus?
A conversation about life begins.
Slowly, we learn the art of prayer as wisdom takes root in our hearts. Our strength blossoms. Light invades the darkness. The heat becomes less oppressive. Love casts out fear. Peace begins to settle as the weight shifts from our shoulders onto his.
Thus, the most fruitful and productive form of labor in life is, ironically enough, prayer.
Sitting still. Soaking in the silence. Releasing our fear, grief, and desires into Christ’s sacred hands as we plow the fields of life in tandem, affording our souls much needed rest.
As the Psalmist proclaims, “In God alone be at rest my soul. My help comes from him. God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never fail.”
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Like Corrie ten Boom, who found forgiving that soldier for his intimate atrocities against her and her family an impossible task on her own, what seems impossible to accept or endure in my own life? Where do I need Jesus?
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The Lord may not untether us from such burdens. But he will lead us through them. As we begin moving in tandem, a sacred conversation begins. One that will slowly and mysteriously make our yoke easy and our burdens light.
So, why not strike up that conversation today?
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Image credits: (1) Missiodeicatholic.org, Mario Lang (2) Longmont Times-Call (3) Instagram
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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After Jesus spent such effort strengthening the faith of his Apostles, appearing to them for forty days and nights, why would John conclude his Gospel with doubting Thomas?
Perhaps John wanted to give us all permission to be Thomas. To doubt. To ponder. To question.
Interestingly, Thomas is also referred to as, “Didymus,” Greek for “twin.” Perhaps his nick-name signals that he not only had a physical twin, but that spiritually, we might also be related.
Like Thomas, we want our faith to make sense. But there can be a skeptical, unbelieving voice within that pokes at the soft spots in our faith.
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“Doubting Thomas” may show up when children ask us questions about God and we don’t know the answer, such as, “Who made God?”
Or when someone we love is sick; when an important prayer request goes unanswered; when we stand at the graveside of a loved one weeping; when we see unnecessary suffering in our world.
Or whenever we cannot get to the other end of how or why.
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Thomas reminds us that it’s important to ask questions about our faith, because it matters; it shapes our lives. Thus, we should be equally determined to find the answer to our questions.
Fortunately, we know where to look – in the scriptures; the Tradition of the Church; the wisdom of the Saints; the silence of prayer; and the certain testimony of Thomas himself.
“My Lord and my God!”
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Image credits: (1) The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, Caravaggio (2) Wikipedia (3) Faculty Focus
