Daily Gospel Reflection for June 30, 2024

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Fr. Edward Looney

Today's Gospel: Mark 5:21-43

The faith of the two main characters of our Gospel is quite incredible. Each has their own faith, and it is different from one another's.

Jairus has faith that brings him to his knees, and he pleads earnestly with Jesus to come and help his daughter. How has Jairus arrived at a faith like this? Was he in the crowd one day, heard Jesus teaching, and was convicted immediately about Jesus? Does he hear about Jesus from others and now, in desperation, seeks him out? Does someone tell him he should find Jesus? No matter the backstory of how he came to Jesus, he was in front of Him, begging for the daughter he loved. 

Mark tells us that the hemorrhaging woman heard about Jesus. But you can hear about Jesus and not have it make any impact. She heard about Jesus and believed she could be set free from her affliction. She didn’t need to hear Jesus’s words of healing. She believed that just being close to Him and touching His cloak would be enough. And indeed it was.

Because these two people stepped out toward Jesus in faith, many others would be brought to faith too. Imagine word spreading of the daughter’s healing and the hemorrhaging woman giving testimony to whomever would listen. A person could reject these stories, but I’m betting people arrived at faith in Jesus.

Today we stand as Jairus and that woman. We can approach Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and earnestly beg for a grace. We can reach out to Him and believe He can work a miracle in our life. The question really is, do we have a faith like that or not?

Ponder:

How strong is my faith and belief in the power of Jesus?

Pray:

Jesus, I believe. Help my unbelief. Give me a strong faith so that I will always believe and trust in You.

Copyright 2024 Fr. Edward Looney

Fr. Edward Looney is a priest of the Diocese of Green Bay and pastor of a Catholic parish and school. He is an author of devotional works and children’s books and hosts the podcast How They Love Mary.