21st Sunday after Pentecost (Lk. 8, 41-56)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Dear brothers and sisters!
This Sunday’s Gospel reading tells us of the double miracle that Christ did: healing and resurrection. It would seem that they are both closely linked.
Membership in Jesus’ new community is based on faith in Jesus who has power to cure and to raise the dead.
The cure of the woman with a hemorrhage is occasioned by her faith that Jesus has the power to restore her to health. She has trust and confidence that Jesus is merciful. Jesus tells the girl: “Get up, child”.
Jesus has power over death, that experience which inspires fear in all of us. Even death must yield its power before him. Although its sting remains, death has been robbed of its power to spell the end of man.
Those who believe in Him need not live in dread of death. Jesus, who has been raised from the dead, has the power to comfort them.
Jesus’ members believe that their union with him does not cease with death. He who has power over evil (Lk. 8, 22-39) also has power over death.
“Indeed, this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last day” (John 6, 40)
St Paul taunts death: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? Thanks be to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, I thank and praise you for giving me a share in your victory over death." (1 Cor. 15, 55)
Fr. Myroslav Dumych