Texts taken from the Missalette “On Your Word” May-June 2024

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) 
1st wk. psalt.

FIRST READING

From the Book of Wisdom (Wis 1:13-15; 2:23-24)
God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he created all things that they might exist; the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them, nor is the dominion of the netherworld on earth. For justice is immortal. For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and those who belong to his company experience it. - The word of the Lord. 

Commentary on the First Reading

In Sacred Scripture, numerous passages link death with the original sin. The words of Wisdom are echoed in those of the New Testament: “Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death” (Rom 5:12); “Sin, when it reaches maturity, gives birth to death” (Jas 1:15). These statements suggest that if there had been no original sin, there would have been no death. This is taught by the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Although man’s nature was mortal, God destined him not to die. Death was therefore contrary to the designs of God the Creator, and entered the world as a consequence of sin” (no. 1008). On the other hand, death is a characteristic sign of the finiteness of creatures and as such is a natural fact; therefore, it is not strange that human life (at least within the horizon of the biological sphere) should come to an end. If, from the perspective of faith, it is understood as a passage from a finite condition to the definitive fulfillment of the human person, it even takes on a positive meaning.

SECOND READING

From the second letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15)
Brothers and sisters, as you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs, so that their abundance may also supply your needs, that there may be equality. As it is written: “Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.” - The word of the Lord. 

Commentary on the Second Reading

Jesus shows through his life the way to go to the Father: “Although he was rich, he became poor for your sake, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” Saint Augustine observes: “Look at our rich man, who for our sake became poor, though he was rich; look at that rich man: all things were made through him, and without him nothing was made. Look at that rich man: all things were made through him; look at that poor man: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Evangelical poverty makes it possible for us to journey toward God, freeing us from every attachment. The more we wish to walk, the more necessary detachment from things becomes. When we possess God, we necessarily become poorer. Since love determines imitation, we become like those we love, and to the extent that we truly love the Lord, we desire to love what he loved and live as he did. Evangelical poverty embraced out of love unites us to Christ and makes us a sacrament of a divine presence. Thus, we are not blessed because we are poor, but poor because we are blessed.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark (Mk 5:21-43)
At that time, Jesus crossed to the other side of the sea again, and a large crowd gathered around him. He was by the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed around him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see the woman who had done this. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. - The Gospel of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the Day

Every encounter of a man or woman with Christ can be called a lesson in prayer. Jesus had promised that God would always answer a request made with faith: his life is a complete demonstration of this reality. Jesus always responds, even with a miracle, to the person who turns to him with a cry of faith, including pagans. The blind man of Jericho, the centurion, the Canaanite woman, Jairus, the woman with the hemorrhage, Martha, Lazarus’s sister, the widow who wept over her son, the father of the epileptic boy, Mary at the wedding in Cana: these are all wonderful passages about the efficacy of prayer. Jesus welcomes prayer, but before performing the miracle he shifts the focus, moving from the object (healing) to the one who works the miracle. He wants to know: “Do you believe that I can do this? Do you have faith? Do you have faith in me?” Indeed, how many times does the Lord say: “Let it be done for you according to your faith”; or: “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” Healings are not ends in themselves but are performed to bring about faith in God. One moves from imperfect faith to pure, perfect faith; from healing of the body to healing of the spirit.