Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Sunday, June 27, 2021
Gospel Reading
Mark 5:21-43 ( shorter form, Mark 5:21-24,35b-43)
Jesus heals a woman afflicted with a hemorrhage and raises Jairus’s daughter from death.
Background on the Gospel Reading
In Sunday’s Gospel, we continue to read from the Gospel of Mark. Last Sunday we heard about Jesus calming the storm, the first of four miracles that Jesus performs in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee. Each of these four miracle stories offers us a glimpse at Jesus’ power. This week we hear about the third and fourth miracles, skipping the second miracle, the healing of a man from Gerasene who was possessed by a demon.
Today’s Gospel reports two stories of healing. One story tells us about a father’s great love for his dying daughter. The other story tells us about a desperate woman who risks much as she seeks healing from Jesus. In each story, the request for healing is itself a courageous act of faith, and yet very different circumstances are represented by the lives of each suffering person.
Jairus is described as a synagogue official, a man of considerable standing in the Jewish community. Distraught over his daughter’s poor health, he approaches Jesus and asks him to heal her. Although Mark doesn’t provide many details, we can imagine that his daughter has been ill for some time and that her condition is deteriorating.
As Jesus leaves with Jairus, Mark describes a second person who seeks healing from Jesus, a woman with a hemorrhage. This woman secretly touches Jesus from behind and is immediately cured. In response, Jesus turns and asks who touched him. Jesus’ disciples, always a little clueless in Mark’s Gospel, help us envision the scene. The crowds are pushing in on Jesus, and yet he, knowing that power has gone out of him, asks who touched him. The woman could have remained anonymous, yet at Jesus’ question she steps forward and acknowledges what she has done. Jesus responds by acknowledging her as a model of faith and sends her away in peace.
At this point, we can imagine Jairus’s impatience with Jesus; his daughter is dying and Jesus hasn’t helped him yet. As if to build a sense of urgency, messengers suddenly arrive and confirm Jairus’s worst fear: his daughter has died. Jesus curiously ignores their message and reassures Jairus. When they arrive at Jairus’s home, they find family and friends mourning the girl’s death. Jesus enters the room of the dead girl, takes her by the hand, and instructs her to arise. Jairus’s faith in Jesus has not been in vain; his daughter is restored to life.
The contrasts between Jairus and the woman with the haemorrhage are stark and revealing. One is a man, the other is a woman. One is a public official, an important person in the community. The other is a woman who has lost everything to find a cure to a condition that separated her from the community. One approaches Jesus publicly. The other approaches Jesus secretly. Yet in each case, faith leads them to seek out Jesus in their time of need.
The Gospel concludes with Jesus’ instructions to remain silent about this miracle. This is typical of Mark’s Gospel and is sometimes referred to as the messianic secret. Repeatedly, those who witness Jesus’ power and authority are instructed to not speak of what they have witnessed. These instructions appear impossible to obey, and it is difficult to understand the purpose of these instructions. But in each case, they seem to emphasise the fact that each individual, including the reader of Mark’s Gospel, must, in the end, make his or her own judgment about Jesus’ identity. Each individual must make his or her own act of faith in affirming Jesus as God’s Son.
School Values focus
Please ask your child/children to share with you about their Religious Education Religious Education.
Term 2
Week 9/10: We follow the example of Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey
Holiday Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for this holiday—
an extra chance for fun and play.
There’s so much I can learn and do
even if I’m not in school.
All the beauty and gifts abound.
The world you created is all around.
Today’s a chance to go explore,
try new things, and discover more.
just as happens on weekends.
But I know that for today,
I’m thankful for this holiday.
Amen
Teresa Rush
DRS
Tony Lenton - Chairman
I am one of four Proprietor representatives on the St Mary’s Board. (The Proprietor is the Bishop of Hamilton, Stephen Lowe.) Four of my grandchildren attend or have attended St Mary’s. I work in Hospital Chaplaincy and am an experienced company director and accountant. I am immensely proud to serve with the current Board.
Ati Aaifou-Olive - Deputy Chair (Parent Representative)
My wife Charlie and I have two boys at St Mary’s School and a daughter at Aquinas College. I am a recruitment specialist of 18 years working in the Industrial sector, with a Bachelor in Business specialising in Sports Management. I currently work for the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union as the Pathways General Manager.
My huge passions are my family, my Samoa culture, sports and business.
I am heavily involved in the community, and love working with students and parents to grow their connections and identity within our school. I feel very privileged to be elected as a parent representative for our beautiful school.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
Brave the Crave Cookie Day fundraiser beginning 21 June 2021
Order individual cookies (60g) or take-home Cookie Bites buckets (one serious mouthful!) to share. Only premium ingredients are used. No colourings, no preservatives, no artificial flavours. Only the best ingredients make it into the cookies. The buckets contain cookie bites which are perfect for those mini cravings. We do find however that stopping at one or two bites is near impossible.
Individual Cookies - 4 flavours
Fairy bread, chocolate chunk, triple chocolate, vegan $3 each ($1 goes to school)
Cookie Bites Buckets – 3 flavours
Fairy bread, chocolate chunk, triple chocolate – 2 sizes available
20 Bites - $14.90 ($2 goes to school)
40 Bites - $28.90 ($4 goes to school)
Ordering through Kindo will open on 21 June 2021 and close off at 10pm 9 July 2021 with distribution being the first week of term 3.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
