Wisdom 1: 13-15

The book of Wisdom, the last Old Testament book to be written, was addressed to a group of Jewish people living in pagan territories. The book begins with a sharp contrast between good and evil. In the pagan world of that time, most people believed that there were good gods and bad gods. The author emphasizes the Jewish belief that there is one God who is the source only of goodness and life.

2 Cor. 8: 7,9,13-15

Today's excerpt from Second Corinthians paints a picture of Paul the pastor at work. The Jewish people in Jerusalem who had become Christian were a small minority and were being persecuted. This brought on financial hardships. Paul wants his Gentile converts in Greece to help them out and show that the bonds of Christianity cut across ethnic lines.

Gospel Setting

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came forward. Seeing him, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live." He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.

Incident Along the Way

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, '"Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."

Messengers on the Way

While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid. Just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.

At the House

When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official he caught sight of a commotion - people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha Koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you arise." The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. (Mk 5:21-43)

Bishop Untener's Homily

Mark is teaching us that Jesus can even overcome death itself. As a matter of fact, that's most of all what Jesus came to do: to lead the way through death to the other side... to a fuller, richer, transformed human life. In the face of death Jesus says to us what he said in this Gospel passage to the synagogue official. The messengers had just told him that his daughter was dead. Jesus responded: "Do not be afraid. Just have faith."

This past week I was in New York, and I made it a point to visit Ellis Island,  a 15 minute boat ride out toward the sea, right near the Statue of Liberty. They've restored the buildings where so many immigrants were processed and there are some excellent displays. Let me tell you... it's something to stand on that island and think back to what our grandparents or great grandparents experienced in that same place.

There was a half hour film presentation spliced together from old footage, photographs, and the voices of people who once came through Ellis Island. They left everything behind in their homeland. Some came alone, to prepare the way for the rest of their family. Others came as a family, with little children.

Some few traveled first or second class and they had it pretty easy, and when they got here were given preferential treatment. But most traveled in steerage and faced a two or three week voyage, crowded together in the hold of the ship which, within a day or two after setting sail, was squalor - people getting seasick, very few bathroom facilities.

Getting here was only part of the problem. Once they arrived they were taken to Ellis Island to see if they would be allowed into our country. You know what it’s like in an airlines terminal at the crowded gate when the plane is delayed. Well, this was a hundred times worse. They didn't know where they were supposed to go, what they were supposed to do... they didn't speak the language... and it took forever as one by one they were checked to see if they would be an unnecessary burden because of their health or lack of employable skills or lack of money. Their status in their own country didn't matter. They had no status here, no connections, no preferential treatment, nothing to fall back on.

Some were sent back to where they came from. Others were allowed in, and you can imagine their feelings when at long last they were put on a boat and brought to the mainland of the United States of America.

On this July 4th weekend, because of my trip to Ellis Island, I have a far deeper appreciation of what I can so easily take for granted in this country into which I was born. I wish everyone could see that film, especially young people.

I stayed for a while on Ellis Island and walked around. There came upon me an experience I don't know if I can describe.

I pictured these immigrants arriving frightened, alone, with only one sack which held all their possessions... and it became for me an image of what it could be like when we die and arrive in a "new world" alone, frightened, with none of our possessions, no special status, no preferential treatment. Our status before death no longer matters whether we were rich or poor, whether we had a lot of connections or had none, whether we were famous or unknown, educated or uneducated. Whether you were a doctor, lawyer, CEO, bishop no longer mattered. Here you were in a new world where the last will be first and the first last.

It's simply an image, but it makes you think.

And then... I thought of the death of Jesus. I thought of how he went through death so that he could go ahead of us and prepare the way.

I thought of what Jesus said on the night before he died:

Do not let your hearts be troubled... In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. . . I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. (John 14:1-3)

I thought of the time Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if they die, will live. (Jn 11:25)

I thought of how Jesus referred to us not as strangers, but as his own brothers and sisters.

I thought of how Jesus invites us here to his own supper table time after time and calls us his friends.

I thought of the Communion of Saints, how we are linked together not only here on earth but with those who have gone before us.

All these truths came alive in a new way. Death doesn't have to be like Ellis Island. We don't have to come to the " new world"  as strangers. The Lord will be there to receive us and walk us through death. The holy ones who have gone before us will be there to welcome us.

What a wonderful thought that is, what a wonderful image being welcomed home by the Lord and those who went before us. It makes me want to turn to the Lord and simply say, "Thank-you." Which, in Greek, is the word "eucharist". 

Originally given on July 2, 2000