Both stories in our Gospel today are related. It tells about the theme of faith, the power of belief in Jesus, and the advantage of knowing Him. It is also about despair and the effect of having faith in Jesus. Jairus, a synagogue official desperate because his daughter is at the point of death. Jairus heard so many things about a miracle worker who has power both in words and deeds. He desperately sought Jesus; He is his last recourse. The hemorrhaging woman is in the same situation, having gone to many doctors without success; her last recourse is this man they call Jesus. Both showing great faith in Jesus received what they wished for: the hemorrhaging of the woman finally stopped, and the dead daughter of Jairus, raised to life.

Look to today’s Gospel and you’ll find one of the most arresting images in all of Scripture. Christ in a crowd, everyone clamoring for his attention, pressing against him. Several feet away, is a chronically ill woman, weak and desperate for help. She knows she doesn’t have a chance of getting his attention. She has no connections. She has no strength. All she can do is lift up her hand.

Fatherhood has its origins in God, who chose to reveal Himself to us as Our Father, sending his only Son for the sake of our salvation. Fathers therefore have a special role “in revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God”. Indeed, the role of the father “is of unique and irreplaceable importance”. Although society increasingly tells fathers that they have no say in the lives of their children before birth and fails to recognize the dynamic and critically important role of fatherhood, it is both a biological and spiritual reality. Pope Saint John Paul II said fathers are called to exhibit “generous responsibility for the life conceived under the heart of the mother”. They are uniquely entrusted with the protection and defense of both mother and child and, in this way, in safeguarding the sanctity of human life.

The disciples were awestruck after they witnessed what Jesus did. There is power in His words that even the wind and the sea obey Him. They are left pondering the question of the real identity of Jesus. Most of Jesus’ disciples are good Jews. They believe that God alone has power over nature. And yet, they just witnessed a man who seemed to have absolute control over the forces of nature. And the ease that Jesus commanded the winds: Quiet! Be still! How is it that He acted as if with divine power? At this point, they had no idea that God has come among men.

"Tony, Tony, come around! Something is lost and it must be found.”

Did you learn this one when you were a kid? In my experience there are even a lot of lapsed Catholics — or people who were never Catholic at all — who know that when you lose something, St. Anthony becomes your best friend. Missing keys? Pray to St. Anthony. Can’t find your favorite sweater? St. Anthony. Forget where you parked your car in the mall lot? St. Anth— okay, you get the idea. Whatever it is, large or small, important or trivial, Tony has a reputation for finding the lost things.

St. Paul says we walk by faith, not by sight. Meaning, for Christians, we have our faith and have total confidence in our Lord. We know the Lord is with us. He is on our side, working for our good. St. Paul, a man of faith himself, believes with confidence because he trusts in the Lord. The reason why we grow anxious, is because fear dominates us and we are afraid of losing control over things in our life. That is like walking by sight and not by faith.

In the first reading, the blood of animals seals the old covenant. In the Gospel, the blood of Jesus Christ seals the new covenant. The Holy Eucharist is the sacrifice of the new covenant where His flesh is real food, and His blood is true drink, the cup of salvation.

Before the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified: He asks His Apostle to prepare the Passover meal. The Jews celebrate the Feast of the Passover annually to commemorate their liberation from Egypt. The law requires all adult male Jews to go to Jerusalem; for this reason, Jesus went to Jerusalem together with His disciples. They follow the ritual of the celebration called the Passover Seder, similar to the Catholic Eucharistic Celebration.

We all know that person, don’t we? Hey, maybe we’ve even been that person.

“I have a great relationship with God, but I don’t go to church regularly. God and I are on good terms. I can talk to Him just fine on my own.”