THE MYSTERIES OF ETERNAL LIFE
The First Day of Autumn
‘Christ Raising Jairus's Daughter’ by William Blake, c. 1799-1800.
Gospel Reading
Ieshu returned to the other side of the sea in a boat, and a large crowd gathered round him. He was standing by the sea.
One of the leaders of the synagogue, named Jairus, arrived. When he saw Ieshu, he fell at his feet and begged him earnestly: ‘My daughter, who is still so young, is at the end of her life. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may be saved and live. Ieshu went with him, and the crowd that followed him was so great that it overwhelmed him.
Now there was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years... - she had suffered greatly from the treatment of many doctors, and she had spent all her money without getting the slightest improvement; on the contrary, her condition had got worse - this woman, therefore, hearing what was said about Ieshu, came up behind the crowd and touched his garment. She said to herself, ‘If I can just touch his garment, I'll be saved. Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed of her illness. Ieshu realised that a force had come out of him. He turned round in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ His disciples replied, ‘You see the crowd crushing you, and you ask, “Who touched me?”’. But he looked round to see the woman who had done this.
Then the woman, fearful and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. Ieshu said to her: ‘My daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed of your sickness.
While he was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, and said to him, ‘Your daughter has just died. Why bother the Master any more?
Ieshu, surprised at these words, said to the synagogue ruler: ‘Do not be afraid, just believe.
He let no one accompany him except Peter, James and John, James' brother. They arrived at the synagogue ruler's house. Ieshu saw the commotion, and the people weeping and crying out loud.
He went in and said to them, ‘Why the commotion and the weeping? The child is not dead: she is sleeping.
But they laughed at him. So he threw everyone out, took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went into the place where the child was lying. He took the child's hand and said to her: ‘Talitha koum’, which means: ‘Young girl, I tell you, get up!
Immediately the girl got up and started walking - she was twelve years old. They were astonished.
And Ieshu firmly ordered them not to let anyone know; then he told them to make her eat.
One of the leaders of the synagogue, named Jairus, arrived. When he saw Ieshu, he fell at his feet and begged him earnestly: ‘My daughter, who is still so young, is at the end of her life. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may be saved and live. Ieshu went with him, and the crowd that followed him was so great that it overwhelmed him.
Now there was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years... - she had suffered greatly from the treatment of many doctors, and she had spent all her money without getting the slightest improvement; on the contrary, her condition had got worse - this woman, therefore, hearing what was said about Ieshu, came up behind the crowd and touched his garment. She said to herself, ‘If I can just touch his garment, I'll be saved. Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed of her illness. Ieshu realised that a force had come out of him. He turned round in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ His disciples replied, ‘You see the crowd crushing you, and you ask, “Who touched me?”’. But he looked round to see the woman who had done this.
Then the woman, fearful and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. Ieshu said to her: ‘My daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed of your sickness.
While he was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, and said to him, ‘Your daughter has just died. Why bother the Master any more?
Ieshu, surprised at these words, said to the synagogue ruler: ‘Do not be afraid, just believe.
He let no one accompany him except Peter, James and John, James' brother. They arrived at the synagogue ruler's house. Ieshu saw the commotion, and the people weeping and crying out loud.
He went in and said to them, ‘Why the commotion and the weeping? The child is not dead: she is sleeping.
But they laughed at him. So he threw everyone out, took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went into the place where the child was lying. He took the child's hand and said to her: ‘Talitha koum’, which means: ‘Young girl, I tell you, get up!
Immediately the girl got up and started walking - she was twelve years old. They were astonished.
And Ieshu firmly ordered them not to let anyone know; then he told them to make her eat.