“My little daughter
is at the point of death.
Come and lay your hands on herso that she may get well and live.”
(Mark 5:23)
As i heard the Gospel being read at Mass today, I just couldn't help thinking: how amazingly simple and yet sincere this prayer was! How heartfelt it must have been! Jairus, a "synagogue official" (Mk 5:22) at the mere sighting of Jesus casts himself down "at His feet"! (Mk 5:22) An important man humbles himself - "pleading" at the feet of Christ! Yes he was an official, yes he was important but all of that was placed aside when his daughter fell ill. Jairus was first and formost a dad. At Mass i just couldn't help thinking how truly, astonishingly powerful this dad's prayer was! How much love this dad had!
It is written that at one point, "while Jesus was still speaking, some people arrived from the official’s house to inform him, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?” (Mk 5:35)
Can you imagine this dad's heart at hearing those words? Can you imagine the pain and the sorrow? I can't ...it's too big to imagine but he must have been broken at that moment - torn apart on the inside!
Jesus sees and having "overheard" their remark adresses this father saying unto him:
'Do not be afraid;
only have faith!'
(Mk 5:36)
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Later on we read that Jesus did indeed raise the child up!
"taking the child by the hand he said to her,
'Talitha, kum!'
which means, 'Little girl, get up'.
The little girl got up at once
and began to walk about,
for she was twelve years old."
(Mk 5:41,42)
It was Christ's words that restored life unto this little girl yet she would NOT have had that if her dad hadn't prayed for her! She would NOT have had that unless her dad hoped for her against all odds. This dad had a great love and a tremendous faith: all For his daughter!
A father's prayer is powerful
if his faith is in Christ! :-)
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On a slightly Different note:
Maltese is a semitic-derived tongue and hence some words used in the Gospels are actually very similar to what we (Maltese) use! The Maltese imperative for "get up!" is actually "qum!" Talitha is the name of one of my sisters and so ...you've probably guessed this already... i get to hear this phrase every single morning! At around 6:45am dad comes about calling "Talitha Qum!!!"
Yet joking apart ...well that was actually true but anyway... dad has played, and still (Thank God) does, an extremely important role in our, my siblings and my own, life. Along with mum he has instructed us in the Catholic Faith - teaching us to pray and praying with and for us, taking us to Mass when younger, encouraging us to attend Catechism and supporting us in this spiritual journey. He does not read this blog actually - because if he saw what i've written he'd tell me to erase this paragraph - but that's the truth: dad has and continues to lead by example. That little girl in the Gospel had a great dad ...i and my siblings do so too ...and i'm thankful. :-)
(Just in case you're wondering:
NO he is not perfect but he's doing his best.
And just in case you're wondering:
NO i don't always obey but i'm doing my best too!)
Talitha this is for you to watch:
