+(Intro) In the responsorial psalm this morning, we will say: In you, my God, I place me trust.” So let us pause a moment to say we are sorry for those times when we have failed to place our trust in the Lord.
(After the gospel) In our novitiate we have an ikon that was painted by our Br Lavrans, that depicts Jacob’s latter with monks ascending and descending on it. The monk ascends when he puts his trust in the Lord, descends when he gives into any form of pride. So much of the life of Christians depends on decisions we make all day long.
Our gospel tells of two persons who put their trust totally in the Lord Jesus, the synagogue official whose daughter has died and then the woman suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. Her trust was such that she knew that if she even touched the tassel of his cloak, she would be healed. By her faith she was healed immediately.
Arriving at the official’s house, the flute players made fun of Jesus when he told them the girl was not dead but only asleep. She was immediately raised to life because of the official’s faith in Jesus. Faith can make immense changes in any of our lives as often as we allow it to prevail.
Gen 28:10-22a; Mt 9:18-26