The Feast of St John Bosco | Tuesday 31 January 2023

Today is Tuesday the 31st of January, the feast of St John Bosco, in the fourth week of Ordinary time.

Salt of the Sound sing “Turn your eyes upon Jesus… and the things of the earth will fall strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of the earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
In the light of His glory and grace
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of the earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
In the light of His glory and grace
And the things of the earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
In the light of His glory and grace


Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark.


Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’

While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

It’s all happening. Can you follow this vivid set of scenes?

Immerse yourself in the crowd, the noise, the pressing, the pushing and pulling. Everyone wants to catch a glimpse of Jesus… How do you feel being there?


Watch the scene. Jairus’ clothes, Jesus’s clothes, are they any different?


Illness hits anyone, regardless of status. Jairus falls at Jesus’ feet and begs him “repeatedly”, we are told, to come to his home and to make his little girl better. What is your reaction to Jairus, this man of influence, as he begs repeatedly? How does he sound as he begs? And what is your reaction to Jesus as he “goes with him”?

And now consider the woman with a haemorrhage. Drained of all energy, drained of all resources. No crowd parts for her. Stay with the scene. Could you stand by the woman? You might be reminded of women you’ve come across in the same desperate place? Kept in the background…Hold this with Jesus as you continue to observe the scene…


It seems she has one last bit of hope and energy left, to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. Look closely at that garment… See it in your mind… Watch how she reaches out to touch it… how do you picture this moment?


Jesus stops and turns round.


Listen in to the revealing conversation as it takes place. The woman tells her whole story. Imagine the crowd’s reaction as she talks publicly about her trouble. Is there some recoiling perhaps? Disdain? She really is being made to speak up by Jesus! No discreet, whispered conversation here! What message is Jesus wanting to convey, do you think?


Meanwhile Jairus must be wringing his hands in despair. His daughter is dying. Can his faith stretch to embrace a seemingly unrelated miracle along the way? Can he overcome a profound sense of let-down as people announce his daughters’ death? His grief, already begun, is taking shape. Where is Jesus when you need him?

Watch as Jesus takes the parents and the small group of disciples with him to the room. Hear his tone of voice as he says “Talitha, cum. Little girl, get up!”

How do you experience the restoration that Jesus brings to this home? Stay in that place for a moment…

Spend these closing moments speaking with the Lord, the Saviour, the Restorer of Calm, the Healer, in these dramatic scenes as he comes alongside people - here, physically and closely - in the depths of their despair. What do you want to say? Let those words be said.


Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.