God works in us from the inside out
Fr Tom Hotchkiss preaches on two intertwined stories in Mark: Jesus healing a woman with a hemorrhage and raising Jairus' daughter. He emphasizes how these narratives demonstrate Jesus' power over sickness and death.
Fr Hotchkiss highlights the contrasting social statuses of the characters - a religious leader and a socially outcast woman - and how Jesus shows compassion to both. He notes the dramatic tension created by the interruption of Jairus' urgent request with the healing of the woman.
Fr Hotchkiss then draws attention to the Greek word "sozo," which encompasses healing, deliverance from danger, and salvation. This connects the immediate healings to broader themes of eternal life and Christian salvation.
Applying these stories to contemporary life, Fr Hotchkiss suggests that we all have "stories within stories" - outward appearances and inner struggles. He emphasizes that Jesus is concerned with our deepest troubles and works in us "from the inside out."
Two main points are emphasized:
1. Jesus enters into our personal stories and inner struggles.
2. We come to Jesus just as we are, and God works within us.
Fr Hotchkiss concludes by encouraging listeners to reflect on their own stories and consider where God might be at work in their lives, looking particularly at the importance of internal spiritual transformation over external changes.