The Need For Faith

Faith is the password for accessing wellbeing and eternal life.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Tuesday of 4th Week in Ordinary Time II, January 30th, 2024
Texts: 2 Samuel 18:9-10.14.24-25.30-19:3; Psalm 86:1-6; Mark 5:21-43

The need for faith stands out in today’s gospel reading. Jesus Christ shows that faith is the password for accessing wellbeing and eternal life. The woman of haemorrhage received healing by her faith. Jesus Christ says, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."  
The story of the woman reveals to us the source of faith. Her faith was not from physical encounter with Jesus Christ but the reports about him. 

St. Mark says, “She had heard the reports about  Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, ‘If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.’" This affirms the word of apostle Paul, “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17)

We learn from the woman that faith is not just a conviction but also finds expression in actions. She heard the reports, believed them and acted accordingly. She looked for Jesus and touched Him for healing. 

Do we believe the reports about Him?

The woman is like everyone of us who have heard about Jesus. Do we believe the reports about Him? Do we act on them if we believe them? The woman of haemorrhage reminds us that we have no excuse for not witnessing the power of Jesus Christ. She teaches us that we only need to believe the gospel and act on it.

 We see in the woman that it is by faith we establish contact with Jesus Christ. This is clear as Jesus asked who touched Him when the woman touched Him. They were many people pressing on Jesus but only the woman that touched Him. This is clear in the words of the disciples: "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ' Who touched me?’" Jesus felt a touch that was different, the touch of faith.  

The woman also shows that faith requires honesty, truth. St. Mark speaks of her thus: “But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.”  

She teaches us to be brave and say the truth always 

When Jesus Christ asked who touched Him, fear and trembling got hold of her. She might think she had made Jesus unclean by her touch. She feared Jesus might be angry for making Him unclean.

In spite of her fear she said the truth. Some of us would have lied or be silent in such situation. She teaches us to be brave and say the truth always. With faith and honesty she met the love of Jesus and was healed body and soul; she got salvation.

Jesus Christ tells us today thus: "Do not fear, only believe." That was the word of our Lord to Jairus, whose daughter was said to be dead. When Jesus got to his house, He said, "Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." The people laughed at Him. 

This tells us that faith is beyond reason and what we can see. The letter to the Hebrews says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1). The raising of the little girl from the dead affirms that resurrection is by faith in Jesus Christ.  

O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! 

The love David displayed for his son, Absalom, is the reflection of love God has for us. We read, “And the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’" God loves us even when we are not on His side. Hence, He asks us to love both friends and enemies.  

Prayer 

God our Father, thank You for making us Your children; may we listen to Your word, believe it and act on it; may we know the depth of Your love and have faith in You. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke