Sunday June 30, 2024

How does faith in the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist grow? Find out in my studybook/workbook My Soul Shall Be Healed. (Discounts available! — Be my partner: Give a copy to your priest.)

“Knowing Jesus is to know divine life, which transforms our earthly life into something much more like his and then takes us to heaven.”

Good News Reflection for:

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 30, 2024

Today’s Prayer:

Beloved Jesus: I praise and thank you for planting in me the seed of faith. Sometimes this faith is asleep. Awaken it, Lord, and make it grow. May my faith be able to deliver those miracles you plan for my life and for the lives of those brothers and sisters that you’ll place in my path. Amen.

LET’S IMPROVE YOUR DAY!
Powerful Catholic prayers are available on our YouTube channel.

Today’s Readings:

Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24
Ps 30:2, 4-6, 11-13
2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Mark 5:21-43
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/063024.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-june-28-2024

How to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment

Wouldn’t it be great if we could actually touch and feel the hem of Jesus’ clothing, like the woman in this Sunday’s Gospel reading? To be near enough to Jesus to be healed spiritually, physically, and emotionally. How can we, more than 2000 years after he ascended to heaven, get so close to him?

It is possible, and it’s exactly what Jesus wants. It comes from developing a better understanding of who Jesus really is and how much God really cares about us. The synagogue leader understood, which is why he could say: “Please, come lay your hands on my daughter that she may live.” He understood Jesus beyond what was in front of his eyes. He believed in the divine life of Jesus.

Knowing Jesus is to know divine life, which transforms our earthly life into something much more like his and then takes us to heaven. The first reading, remember, states clearly that death is not part of God’s plan. Jesus drives this point home by allowing the girl to die before he reaches her house. Certainly God could have kept her alive until he got there! But he wanted to show the world that he could restore life and that he has the power to rescue us from death.

If we fear death, we don’t recognize the nearness of Christ. We can touch the hem of his garment, but we don’t see it, and so we don’t believe it. In this case, we’re like the mourners that Jesus had to chase out of the house before working his miracle.

If we fear that our trials are leading to disastrous conclusions, we’ve forgotten how powerful Jesus is, and we’ve forgotten that he cares enough to rescue us. We need to move ourselves closer to Jesus. We have to press on through the crowd of distractions and doubts, with our eyes fixed only on Jesus and our hands reaching out to him in prayer.

If we fear that God doesn’t care enough to help us, we need to spend more time learning why Jesus gave up his life for us and why the Father sent him to us.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Do you believe that Jesus wants to work miraculously in your life? How has the disbelief of the people around you infected your thinking and reduced your faith?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
Describe a miracle that you saw or experienced. How long did it take? What blessings occurred during the time of suffering? How was all of this an expression of God’s love?

For more on this subject, read our WordByte, “The Power of Hope: Our Reason for Joy” @ https://wordbytes.org/food-for-faith/power-of-hope-reason-for-joy/

© 2024 by Terry A. Modica

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