13TH SUNDAY, YEAR B: HOMILY BY FR. JUSTIN ADIELE
THEME: “NEARER TO THE HEALING TOUCH OF JESUS”
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INTRODUCTION
The world is full of crowds of people wrapped in darkness,
sickness, bondage and devil’s deceit. But those who have true faith in God find
the courage and way to draw nearer to Jesus in order to stay within the reach
of his healing hands which he extends to us. God knows our plight and sent his
only begotten Son to heal our world, and when Jesus came, he affirmed that;
“The spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to
the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and sight to the
blind; to free the oppressed…” (cf. Lk. 4: 18 // Is. 61: 1). Jesus went about
doing good, healing many who are trapped by the envy of the devil, touching and
changing lives. Many sought and drew near to touch him received their own
healing as well.
THE FIRST READING
(WIS. 1: 13 – 15; 2: 23 – 24)
In the first reading, we are meant to understand that God
created the world without adding any sorrow, any poison, or any death. He
created man for incorruption and eternity. But the envy and deceit of the devil
brought death and sorrow into the world. The wisdom writer upheld that
righteousness is immortal. And so with righteousness we remain close or nearer
to the image of God (perfection), and farther from the destructive powers of
sin. Righteousness therefore brings us nearer to the healing and saving
grace/hands of God.
THE SECOND READING (2
COR. 8: 7. 9. 13 – 15)
To draw nearer to the healing hands of Jesus, St. Paul urges
us to excel in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in love, and in gracious works;
using our abundance to ease the want of others so that God would also use His
own abundance to ease our own wants. Whoever does this is never far away from
the healing and saving touch of Jesus all day!
THE GOSPEL READING
(MK. 5: 21 – 43)
In the gospel reading, we saw Jairus maneuvered the crowd
and came face to face with Jesus begging him to come and lay his healing hands
on his dying daughter that she may be well again. As St. Paul recommended, his
faith, knowledge and utterance were excellent. We also saw the woman with the
flow of blood who also overcame the crowd to touch Jesus herself in order to be
healed. Both of their healings came by virtue of their faith and their close
contact with Jesus. They did not allow the crowd or their status to discourage
them from getting nearer or close enough to Jesus their healer. Their strong
faith was the driving force that drew them nearer to Jesus against all odds.
CONCLUSION
Like St. Paul rightly said; if we excel in faith, in
knowledge, in love, in gracious works, and in righteousness, we are always a
touch away from the healing hands of Jesus. With these virtues we can also
subdue/overcome the envy, deceit and trap of the devil which draws us away from
Jesus our healer and brings sickness upon our bodies and souls. In faith,
righteousness and love, we pray and also invite Jesus today to lay his hands
upon us that we may live graciously and freed from our diseases. May God touch
us one more time and heal us by his love!
Happy Sunday!
Fr. Justin
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