and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Glory
to Jesus Christ. Today's Gospel reading from
Luke tells us about a man named Jairus. This
same account of Jairus can also be found in the
Gospels of Matthew and of Mark. And from these
accounts we know that Jairus was a ruler of the
synagogue. an important person, a respected man
in Jewish society. And Jairus had a 12 -year
-old daughter, his only daughter. And she was
sick, very sick, close to dying. And as a loving
father, he had tried everything that he could.
He, even with his influence, There was no way
that she could be healed. Nothing had helped.
And yet Jairus had heard of Jesus. He knew that
this person, this man walking around that people
were talking about everywhere, that even in the
synagogue, some negatively, but they had recognized
he was there. that he knew that he has done miracles,
that there had been healings. And so Jairus,
this ruler of the synagogue, came to the Lord
Jesus, fell down at his feet, and begged him
to come to his house, for he knew that if they
could just get there to his house where his daughter
was, that Jesus would heal her. And so he begged
the Lord to come to his house. And the Lord agreed.
And Jesus took off with him towards his house.
And then there were the crowds. People pressing.
Can you imagine, Jairus? We just need to get
to the house. And all these people, they're in
the way. And he's worried for his daughter. And
there is an urgency in him. And then Jesus stops,
and he doesn't move anymore because he talks
to a woman, the woman who had touched his robes,
the woman who had an issue of blood, the woman
whose power had gone out from Jesus and healed.
And you may think that Jairus would be encouraged
because here was a healing again, but the delay
and... We're still not on the way. The journey
to his house. Hurry, it might be too late. And
Jesus said to this woman, the woman with the
issue of blood now healed, daughter, be of good
cheer. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.
Then a servant came, a servant of Jairus, and
said, your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the
teacher. But when Jesus heard it, he said, Do
not be afraid, only believe, and she will be
made well. And they came to the house of Jairus,
and those who gathered there mourned for her.
And Jesus said to them all, Do not weep. She
is not dead, but sleeping. And they ridiculed
Jesus. But Jairus remembered the words that were
spoken to the woman, only believe. And Jesus
said, only believe and she will live. And Jesus
walked in and said to this young daughter of
Jairus, little girl, arise. And she did. And
she ate some food. And her parents were astonished.
With our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ,
all things are possible. Healings of all kinds.
Bringing Jairus' daughter back from physical
death to life was possible. For with God, all
things are possible. And just as physical rejuvenation
is possible, so is spiritual rejuvenation. The
Lord Jesus will heal you. What is the affliction
that you have? What is the thing that is holding
you down? What is it? God can heal it. The Lord
Jesus Christ. can heal you and save you and sanctify
you. Follow the example of Jairus. Bow down before
Jesus and believe. Well, also this day, we are
celebrating and commemorating the holy wonder
workers and unmercenaries, Cosmos and Damian
of Mesopotamia. When their pagan father died,
Their Christian mother raised them and they grew
into righteous and virtuous men. And they were
trained and skilled as physicians for the body.
But they also believed God and were given by
the Holy Spirit the gift of healing for spiritual
healings as well. And God seeks to heal you.
God seeks to heal us all, to bring us all to
himself, to purify us and sanctify us and make
us whole. What do we need to do? We need to believe.
We need to go to the Lord as Jairus did and believe.
We need, just as Cosmos and Damien went out,
and healed others because of their strong faith
in the Lord and the gifts he had given them,
we too must have that faith and say, Lord, use
my life, heal me, do what you would with me.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk says this, Let us remember
and meditate on how he, Jesus, while living in
the world, did not refuse his mercy to anyone.
He gave sight to the blind, cleansing to the
lepers, health to the sick, hearing to the deaf,
freedom to the demon -possessed, and resurrection
to the dead. He heard those who came to him crying
out for their bodily health, had mercy on them,
and healed them. So how much more will he hear
and heal those who ask spiritual healing? For
he created both body and soul. Believe, only
believe. Follow the Lord, seek his will. in all
things, and see what he will do. Trust in the
Lord with all of your heart. Lean not on your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge
him, and he will direct your paths. Glory to
Jesus Christ.