In the Stillness
"He took the child by the hand and said to her, 'Talitha koum.'” (Mark 5:41)
"He took the child by the hand and said to her, 'Talitha koum.'” (Mark 5:41)
Today's Gospel presents us with us two moments of healing from Christ. The first, a woman afflicted by illness for years who was healed in the midst of a chaotic crowd. The second, the resurrection of a young girl in the stillness of quietude of a room.
As we meet the women afflicted with hemorrhages, the commotion of the scene is palpable. Initially, the crowds were so great that Christ could not even move from the shoreline. The apostles are incredulous when Christ asks who had touched him because of the great flurry of the crowd.
As Christ moves to the room of the young girl, the atmosphere of the scene shifts. Now, instead of a noisy, bustling crowd, we are placed in an intimate, tranquil room.
The movement from the first healing encounter to the second in Mark's Gospel unveils an important reality of Christ's work within our lives. The Lord pursues us is in the quietude of our hearts. In the stillness of our innermost being, He awaits our reception of this ever-available encounter with Him who dwells in us.
How is the Lord working in ways that I might not see?
Lord, may I seek you in the silence of my heart. Amen.
Nicole Patterson is an Echo Apprentice at Our Lady of Lourdes in Dunedin, FL. Echo is a two-year service graduate program that allows apprentices to work on their Master of Theology at the University of Notre Dame while serving the Church at various Dioceses around the country. Previously, Nicole graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, KS with a degree in Theology and a member of Benedictine College Women’s Soccer. In her free time, Nicole enjoys hiking, reading, and playing pickleball.
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