Arise!

July 1, 2012

13 Sunday of Ordinary time 2012 B

By Rev. Joe McCloskey, SJ

God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.  For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the netherworld on earth, for justice is undying.  Wisdom 1:13-15

For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, 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.  2 Corinthians 8:9, 13-14

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.  Mark 5:40b-43

Piety

Piety is how we invite the Lord into our house.  It is how we touch the Lord who responds to our touch in wondrous ways.  Jesus is touched from behind and feels the power go out of him.  Do we sneak up on the Lord? Genuine piety is a frontal approach to the Lord with our hearts wide open to what we need and what we are grateful to have already received.  Piety is our response to the Lord even as our hearts are opened up to his word and his person.  Even as the Lord empties himself out of his riches as God to become one of us our piety allows us to become one with Christ in the ways we simply our lives by giving up what we do not need for those who have greater need.  Those who have much are left with less and those who have little are given much.  Our piety leads us to equalize ourselves with the needy of our world that we can be just like the Christ who has become one with us.  Christ gives us the riches of his divine life in our very emptying out of ourselves to be like him.

Study

We try to learn how we can touch Christ by our living his love.  We do not need to sneak up on him.  Our study allows us to learn how to accept the riches of Christ’s life so that we no longer need to apologize for Christ loving us and giving himself to us.  It becomes easier to give credit to Christ for the good we do.  We learn how to give ourselves away so that we can be filled with Christ.  We quickly learn that only our emptiness is big enough for Christ.  Baptism gives us the life of Christ.  Each time we take advantage of Eucharist, we grow into Christ and Christ grows in us.  Christ does not have to be a prisoner of our hearts.  We swing open our heart for Christ to touch our world by the good we do in his name.

Action

Christ enters the house of the Synagogue official and was ridiculed by the people who knew she was dead.  How many times we have the opportunity to say a kind word to people who are trying to do impossible tasks.  Encouragement opens up the possibility of miracles.  Change can be wrought by a kind word.    The words we should say too often get stuck in our throats.  Positive encouragement is what we need to offer every chance we have.  What makes the impossible possible is the kind word that is asking Christ to help others.  There is no guarantee of failure greater than not trying.  Falling short in the put of our efforts never scores.  Too little is always too little without Christ.  How we help the impossible to be possible is in believing in people who are putting themselves out for tough tasks.  We need to awaken the sleepers even as Christ calls forth the child from the sleep of death.  We have to profess by our efforts that nothing is impossible to God if we ask his help in what we would do for the needy.  Thus mourning will be changed into dancing.  Whatever we do in the name of Christ is always enough.