“Offering our world of burdens to Jesus and feeling energetic and enthusiastic!”
(Based on 2 Sam 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30–19:3 and Mk 5:21-43 – Tuesday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)
A person came to a spiritual counsellor to share his difficulties and problems of life.
During the break of the counselling session, as the two took a walk in the garden area, the person who was had come to share the difficulties, noticed a large statue of the Atlas.
(The Statue of Atlas is of a well-built man, who with all his muscles straining…
… is holding the world upon his shoulders)
Seeing that statue of Atlas who was struggling to hold the world, the man told the counsellor:
“Do you see that man struggling to hold the world on his shoulders?
That’s exactly how I feel in my life as well!
The burden of the whole world seems to be on my shoulders and I feel exasperated!”
The counsellor gave a gentle smile to the man and asked him to have his eyes on the other side of the street.
“Look at that statue,” said the counsellor.
The man noticed, at a distance, the statue of Infant Jesus…
… Who was holding the world (globe) in His Hands.
And the counsellor continued:
“We have a choice in life!
We can either follow Atlas and feel as if the entire world of burden is placed on my shoulders…
… and thus feel exasperated and exhausted!
Or we can follow Jesus and offer our world of burdens to Him, Who will hold it in His Hands…
… and thus feel energetic and enthusiastic!
The Gospel of the Day recounts two people who had an encounter with Jesus, and offered their world of burdens to Him, …
… and thus felt energetic and enthusiastic!
Sicknesses and diseases are great interrupters in life…
… they enter into the house of life, without knocking at the doors
… they disrupt many plans and aspirations
… they reduce the hope for the future
The Gospel is a narration of two persons who encountered this interruption in life…
Jairus’ daughter – on the death bed – would have dashed many hopes of their family
The long suffering of the woman – with haemorrhage – would have crushed her aspirations
Both these two persons – Jairus and the Woman with the haemorrhage underwent similar struggles….
One had tremendous mental agony as a result of worry for his beloved child…
The other had also tremendous physical agony along with her mental and social stigmas…
Both their sufferings had reached a saturation point of tolerance…
Both of them were struggling immensely to swim across the ocean of agony and pain…
But both these persons also displayed a similar sort of faith in the Lord….
“Seeing Jesus, Jairus fell at His feet and pleaded earnestly with Him…” ( Mk 5:22)
“… realizing what had happened to her, the woman approached Jesus in fear and trembling; fell down before Jesus and told Him the whole truth” (Mk5: 33)
They both “offered their world of burdens” to Jesus…
… in deep faith and trust…
… with much love and devotion
… with great expectations and hopes
The “offering of their burdens” was a sign of total submission and surrender
Jairus offered himself to the power and mercy of the Lord…
The woman with haemorrhage offered herself to the compassion and love of the Lord…
This made them to experience the power of the Lord.
When we offer ourselves fully to the holy and precious Will of the Lord…
… we come in contact with His Divine Providence and Wonder
When we submit ourselves to the mighty power and providence of God…
…we experience His Divine Strength and Courage
When we surrender ourselves to the dominion and sovereignty of God…
… we encounter His marvellous presence and guidance
Our Christian Life – with all its challenges – places before us choices:
We can either feel that the entire world of burden is placed on our shoulders…
… and thus feel exasperated and exhausted!
Or we can offer our world of burdens to Jesus, telling Him, “’Here I am Lord; here’s my life. I give you my world, the whole world’…
… and thus feel energetic and enthusiastic!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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