Daughters

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’ While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. Mark 5:21-43

I was one of four daughters, we had three daughters and we have two granddaughters.  No matter what age we are, we know ourselves as daughters, sisters, women bound together by love and shared history. We find two women healed, one an older widow and the other a girl of twelve. He called the older woman daughter and the child a little girl. He saw them, healed them and loved them in context of a larger family, of belonging, despite age and circumstances. This week, with a wedding on Tuesday and the part on Saturday, all our daughters and granddaughters will be together. The generations of women who learn from one another, share the stories and make new ones. Connected and bound together, even when we don't feel that way. May we all rejoice in the love we have in family, seeing the whole of humanity as our larger family and friends. May we see a stranger and know that they are just the family we haven't met yet!

Gracious Creator, you sent Jesus to heal

to return sisters and brothers to each other

to make new families of healing and love

and to call us all to rejoice in our belonging.

Too often, in our isolation we feel abandoned

we live in fear of the people on our streets

the headlines make us believe we are alone

when in fact, we are surrounded by your love.

Make us curious, welcoming and fearless again

so we might rediscover our rootedness here

so we might see your love binding us and healing

making us your children, daughters and sons forever. Amen.