The Goodness of God Explodes: ‘Talitha Cumi’

 The starting sentence of the celebrated book by a famous American Psychiatrist, M Scott Peck, The Roadless Travelled, is “Life is Difficult”. But in the proceeding chapters, we learn along with the author that ‘life is not impossible’. The micro-summary of the book could be, life is difficult, but not impossible.

Our existential Life could be likened to a rope. You are a piece of rope; or, you have a piece of rope. And as you look at your life, often privileged life, this rope could be long, strong and healthy, wealthy, creative, intelligent, etc. As time goes, the rope keeps unfurling, unfolding. At times we feel that the rope is becoming stronger and stronger, and it is going on and on with out end. But every rope that begins somewhere also comes to an end somewhere. The rope of health, wealth, resources, creativity, reaches it ending point. That ending point of our rope is a painful space, a trying space, a frustrating space. People quit.

In Mark 5: 21-43 we meet two people who had reached the end of their ropes. Jairus, whose little daughter was dying; and a woman with haemorrhage for 12 long years. They had reached the end point of their ropes. Obviously it was a painful space, a trying space, and a frustrating space. Did they quit?

When we reach the end of our rope, we will find the hem of His cloak. The woman touched it, perhaps held on to it. When we reach the end of our rope, we will find the feet of God’s mercy. Jairus fell prostrate; touched and held on to those feet of Jesus. Health returned. Life returned.

There is a twist in their story. They encounter God; and the story takes a new direction. With Jesus, the good news of God unfolds; the goodness of God explodes. Jesus showed them; and he tells us, when we reach the end of our rope, we will find the hem of His cloak. The woman in the gospel touched it, perhaps held on to it. When we reach the end of our rope, we will find the feet of God’s mercy. Jairus fell prostrate; touched and held on to those feet of Jesus. Health returned. Life returned.

Life is challenging and trying

I am inspired by the fact of these two people gathering enough courage to stand up and encounter Jesus. They were part of a crowd. A woman with bleeding touching a Jewish teacher was unimaginable. The passage indicates that people at home were not so much with Jairus; it was with a bit of ridicule they told Jairus that his daughter is no more alive. Did they also perhaps consider what if Jesus questions about their past lives, morality and spirituality, etc? Perhaps, yes. Both refused to be floating dead fishes. They refused to be just another brick in the wall. They were like August Landmesser (read earlier blog: Be Like August Landmesser: Stand up for Your Conscience).

The source of their courage undoubtedly is the inclusive approach of Jesus that they had witnessed for themselves. Jesus included, acknowledged, and appreciated everyone, people whom the society of the day considered outcaste and polluting. As humans we must watch our inclusivity index. We must conduct an inclusivity audit. The rational, empathetic civil society has been making tangible steps towards inclusivity, (read earlier blog: LGBT to LGBTQIA+ Is a Sign of Inclusive Journey of Empathetic Humanity). 

Life is difficult and complex. As we reach the end of our ropes, it turns more trying and challenging. God does not wish death, He does not rejoice in the death of the living (Wisdom 1: 13). Gather courage and encounter the goodness of God who is inclusive and full of mercy.