Jesus had – to put it delicately – not the best of relationships with synagogue officials. Healings on the Sabbath being the cause of one clash. Wouldn’t it be great if that particular official was actually the same Jairus, who comes in todays’ gospel not as a functionary but as a father. There is nothing like a crisis to restore our humanity and see the essence of things. You are never really open to something unless your heart is open. Your real inside is not your mind but your heart. Travel may broaden the mind, but in the long term, that isn’t much.
Jairus swallowed his professional and personal pride to meet Jesus. When he did so, Jesus was able to restore His only daughter to him and her family. In between Jesus moved from healing a woman haemorrhaging for twelve years to this twelve year old girl. From a colossal loss of blood to a loss of a young life.
How many times do we prevent Jesus from helping us by not swallowing our pride and going to Him? Sometimes it takes getting down to were there is nothing else left to hold on to before we do. Both Jairus and the unnamed woman did the same thing, they both reached beyond what they thought possible. Will you?
(Comments to Tom at tomascox@eircom.net )