2 Samuel 18, and Mark 5: The death of his son Absalom brought the mighty king David to bitter tears, and with him all of the city Jerusalem wept. In the same way, the death of the daughter of a synagogue official brought an entire household to tears and weeping. But Jesus, doing what David could not do, walked into the weeping to bring new life to that girl and that house. Look closely at the scene, because there’s a hint of what’s about to happen in Mark’s gospel text. We’re told that Jesus stayed close to the sea. In the gospels, when Jesus crosses the sea or stays close to the sea, it hearkens back to the dawn of creation, where chaos was represented by a great untamed sea. The Spirit of God breathed on the waters, we’re told in Genesis, and from that chaotic sea came creation itself at the word of God. When Jesus is near the water in the gospels, it’s because He is about to enact a new creation. Water in a gospel text is like a neon billboard saying, “Pay attention: something wonderful is about to happen.” Walking right through the tearful commotion, Jesus takes the dead girl by the hand he invites her back to life: “Little girl, arise.” Will you allow Jesus to walk into your hurt and heal it? Will you allow Him to enter into your tears and re-create your heart? Will you allow Him to walk into the midst of your most painful memories, take them in His hands, and create your heart anew?

Msgr. William J. King

1/31/2012