MARY, OUR MOTHER

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #266

And it came to pass that when Jesus was returned, the multitude received him: for they were all waiting for him. And behold there came a man whose name was Jairus: and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at the feet of Jesus, beseeching him that he would come into his house: For he had an only daughter, almost twelve years old, and she was dying. And it happened as he went that he was thronged by the multitudes. And there was a certain woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had bestowed all her substance on physicians and could not be healed by any. She came behind him and touched the hem of his garment: and immediately the issue of her blood stopped. And Jesus said: "Who is it that touched me?" And all denying, Peter and they that were with him said: "Master, the multitudes throng and press thee; and dost thou say, who touched me?" And Jesus said: "Somebody hath touched me; for I know that virtue is gone out from me." And the woman seeing that she was not hid, came trembling and fell down before his feet and declared before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was immediately healed. But he said to her: "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. Go thy way in peace." As he was yet speaking, there cometh one to the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him: "Thy daughter is dead: trouble him not." And Jesus hearing this word, answered the father of the maid: "Fear not. Believe only: and she shall be safe." And when he was come to the house, he suffered not any man to go in with him, but Peter and James and John, and the father and mother of the maiden. And all wept and mourned for her. But he said: "Weep not. The maid is not dead, but sleepeth." And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. But he taking her by the hand, cried out, saying: "Maid, arise." And her spirit returned: and she arose immediately. And he bid them give her to eat. And her parents were astonished, whom he charged to tell no man what was done. (Luke 8:40-56)

PROOFS OF OUR LORD'S DIVINITY: 1. The wonderful cure of the sick woman showed our Lord's Omnipotence; for it could only be a divine power which commanded sickness so imperatively, and restored health to men: "Virtue went out of Him and healed all" (Luke 6:19).--"In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead corporally" (Col. 2:9).
2. This cure also showed forth our Lord's Omniscience. Unobserved, as she supposed, in the midst of the crowd, the poor woman crept up to Him, and touched the hem of His garment. Jesus, however, knew that she had touched Him, and knew, moreover, that the touch had made her whole; but in order that she might not fall into the error of thinking she had been cured by some strange, mechanical, involuntary force, He said aloud: I know that virtue is gone out from Me."
3. The raising to life of the dead maiden showed that Jesus had dominion over life and death, being the Author of life, or, in other words, being God. Truly, indeed, did He say of Himself: "As the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth life; so the Son also giveth life to whom He will" (John 5:21). Of the real death of the maiden there can be no doubt, because a) all who were in the house knew that she was dead. b) Our Lord knew she was dead, when He said: "Believe only, and she shall be safe." c) The Gospel (Luke 8:55) says explicitly: "her spirit returned." It is, therefore, an undoubted fact that the maiden had already departed this life.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)