Little Girl, I Say to You, Arise!

The words I spoke long ago are still buried deep within my memory: How can I believe God can heal me when I haven’t even accepted I have a disease? I was offered the pilgrimage of a lifetime to Lourdes, France, to bathe in the healing waters, but step one of believing you can be healed is accepting that you need healing. For me, it was healing from a terminal disease. For you, it might be something else.

In today’s Gospel, the woman afflicted with hemorrhages and Jairus accepted their situations and believed Jesus could heal. They didn’t hide their distress; instead, they vulnerably reached out to Christ in faith and shared their brokenness. (Mark 5:21-43)

When I read this Gospel, I consider friends who struggle with various addictions. Healing begins when they accept their addiction and seek help and accountability. What is preventing us from allowing Christ to perform a miracle in our lives through the laying on of hands or the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

Do we feel like a burden to those closest to God and us, saying, “Why trouble the teacher any longer?” (Mark 5:35) Do we compare our suffering to others who suffer more or less, not reaching out to the divine physician to be healed? Do we say, “If it’s God’s will . . .” as a statement of doubt rather than a testament of faith?

Do we wholeheartedly believe God will perform miracles of healing in our lives? In the waters of Lourdes, God healed me. I am not healed from multiple sclerosis but from the depression settling into my spirit, sullied with anger directed at God. That step into the waters of Lourdes was the most significant step I've ever taken in faith life.

What is preventing us from allowing Christ to perform a miracle in our lives?Click to tweet

Christ is saying to us today, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” (Mark 5:41) When God wants to heal, He heals! The question is, are we ready to take a step in faith and believe this to be the truth?

Tricia Tembreull is a California girl with a Texas-sized heart for hospitality. She serves as a Parish Coach for Life Teen, International, and joyfully travels around the globe training, empowering, and praying with youth ministers. When not on a plane, she is either in church, spending time with family or friends, in the kitchen cooking up something delightful, or on the beach for an evening walk. You can find out more about her here.