Tuesday, February 3, 2026

 

(Optional) Memorial of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr

(II Samuel 18:9-10.14b.24-25a.30-19:3; Mark 5:21-43)

Today’s rather obscure patron saint is one of the most celebrated by the people.  The reason, of course, is the long tradition of blessing throats with candles, themselves blessed yesterday, “Candlemas Day.”

The gospels report that Jesus worked many healings like the two done in today’s passage.  He cured sickness and expelled demons to show that the Kingdom of God has indeed come upon the world.  The Kingdom promises wholeness to loving believers although not immediate cure of every illness.  Healed or not on earth, they will experience the fulness of health in eternal life.

Today’s blessing should not be taken as a vaccine for throat disease.  It is a request for healing of every kind – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  It is said that St. Blaise’s prayers saved a boy from choking on a fishbone.  May his prayers clear our throats as well to profess faith in God and to tell of God’s glory.

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Samuel 18:9-10.14b.24-25a.30-19:3; Mark 5:21-43)

In today’s gospel Jesus shows preeminent mercy.  When he disembarks on the shore, a swarm of petitioners seek his healing services.  Quite generously, he goes with a man on a house call.  On the way he meets a woman suffering from both a hemorrhage and mistreatment by doctors.

Jesus goes the extra mile with both women.  When the woman with hemorrhage is cured, Jesus gives her a second blessing.  He pronounces her salvation.  After hearing that the patient of the house call that he is making has died, Jesus could go home.  However, defying the bad news, he brings the girl back to life. 

Going out of our way to help others we prove ourselves to be Jesus’ true disciples.  Neither being tired nor hearing negative comments should stop us from doing good.

 

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Samuel 18:9-10.14b.24-25a.30-19:3; Mark 5:21-43)

The old man was pleased with himself.  He had caught the doctor billing him for untendered services.  The man saved thousands of dollars by just examining his bills.  Today’s gospel tells the story of a woman who was not so fortunate.  Her doctors had taken all the money she had without helping her.  She now turns to Jesus in desperation.

Faith in Jesus moves the woman with hemorrhages to touch his garment.  She knows it is wrong to exploit his services without telling him.  Because she is unclean according to Jewish law, touching Jesus sullies him as well.  Jesus demonstrates his divine power in two ways.  First, he feels healing grace being emitted from his body.  Then, he heals the woman of her distressing condition.  He asks who has received his healing grace. The trembling woman bravely steps forward.  Her courage wins for her a second, deeper blessing.  Jesus grants her salvation.  “’Daughter,’” he says, “’your faith has saved you.’”

We should not be afraid to come to Jesus with our needs.  Whether we are sick or have done something wrong, we should pray to him for healing. His words to us will not be different, “Daughter (or son), your faith has saved you.”

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time (Memorial of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr)

(Hebrews 2:1-4; Mark 5:21-43)

Once, a class of divinity students started to pray.  They exclaimed something like, “We just want to thank you; we only ask that you hear us.”  The professor interrupted them, “What do you mean ‘We just want to thank you’ and ‘we only ask you’? Don’t you know that God is always ready to hear our prayers.”  One of the students then explained in words similar to these: “Professor, we are simple people without a Ph.D. in theology.  We don’t mean take for granted that the Lord is greater than us.”  The professor wrote that he learned from his students that day and started to use such expressions himself.  In today’s reading two people – a poor woman and a synagogue official – exhibit similar deference to Jesus as the students.

After Jesus heals the woman with hemorrhages, she is afraid to admit that she was the one who touched him.  No doubt she feels that she had no right to impose herself on a man so close to God.  The synagogue official also indicates a reluctance to bother Jesus after messengers come to say that his daughter already is dead.  But Jesus does not feel constrained by either person.  Indeed, he blesses the woman even further and goes to raise from the dead the official’s daughter.

We also should approach Jesus with our needs.  He is ready to help us.  It is not wrong to recognize his lordship with appropriate words, but they are not necessary.  Indeed, as one commentator has observed, the only person in the four gospels to address Jesus simply by his name is the thief who was crucified at his side.  According to the Gospel of Luke Jesus promises that thief a place in Paradise.  

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Samuel 18:9-10.14b.24-25a.30-19:3; Mark 5:21-43)

The old man was pleased with himself.  He had caught the doctor billing him for treatments that he did not render.  The man saved thousands of dollars by just examining his bills.  Today’s gospel tells the story of a woman who was not so fortunate.  Her doctors had taken all the money she had without giving her any satisfaction.  She now turns to Jesus in her desperation.

Faith in Jesus moves the woman with hemorrhages to touch his garment.  She knows that it is wrong for her to do so because she is unclean according to Jewish law and touching Jesus sullies him as well.  So, when Jesus’ divine power is demonstrated first by being the source of her healing and then by realizing that his healing power was utilized, the woman trembles with fear.  Yet she manages to respond to Jesus’ call, “’Who has touched me?’”  Her courage wins for her a second, deeper blessing.  Jesus grants her salvation.  “’Daughter,’” he says, “’your faith has saved you.’”

We should not be afraid to come to Jesus when we, like the woman with hemorrhages, have done wrong.  We pray to him for strength and we encounter him forthrightly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  His words to us will not be different, “Daughter (or son), your faith has saved you.”

Homilette for Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 12:1-4; Mark 5:21-43)

The eminent psychologist Carl Rogers purportedly gave the banal but nevertheless insightful statistic, “One out of every one of us is hurting.” No one escapes suffering. Not only the poor and the sick need care. Conquerors of nations are sometimes insecure men. And utterly beautiful women can worry if they are attractive.

Because pain pollutes the world like jet fuel the atmosphere of an airport, crowds besiege Jesus in the gospel today. Could he heal a sick child? Could he stop the chronic hemorrhaging of an impoverished woman? No doubt he has a hundred similar requests as he steps across the sand. What would we add if we were there? Could he lift my depression? Could he heal my aunt’s cancer?

Jesus generally takes note of our faith and grants our requests. At some point, however, he will have us stretch our faith into eternity. Someday we will succumb to our suffering and die. Then we will await his voice, “Little girl, arise” or “Little boy, arise.” And just like the twelve-year-old in the gospel, we will arise to a new world. We will be finally freed from all hurt because Jesus will be fully present to us.

Homilette for February 5, 2008

Tuesday, memorial of St. Agatha, virgin and martyr

(Mark 5:21-43)

The eminent psychologist Carl Rogers purportedly gave this breath-taking yet mundane statistic, “One out of every one of us is hurting.” It is true. No one escapes suffering. Not only the poor and the sick need assistance. Conquerors of nations are sometimes insecure. And utterly beautiful women can worry if they are attractive.

Because pain pollutes the world like jet fuel the atmosphere around an airport, crowds besiege Jesus in the gospel today. Could he heal a sick child? Could he stop the chronic hemorrhaging of an impoverished woman? No doubt, he had a hundred similar requests as he steps across the sand. What would we add if we were there? Could he cure my cold? Could he lift me from depression?

Jesus generally takes note of our faith and grants our requests. At some point, however, he will have us stretch our faith into eternity. What we seek will not be immediately granted. Many of will die without experiencing a release from suffering. Then we will await his voice, “Little girl, arise” or “Little boy, arise.” And just like the twelve-year-old in the gospel, we will arise to a new world. We will be finally freed from all hurt because Jesus will be fully present.