Jesus, the Lord of Life

by Deacon Lorna Goodison on June 28, 2021

Have you ever experienced a serious and possibly life-threatening illness? If you have, you may understand the pain and desperation of the two main characters in Sunday’s gospel (Mark 5:21-43).

The first character is Jairus, a synagogue leader whose twelve-year-old daughter was dying. The second is an unnamed woman, troubled and exhausted from twelve years of uncontrolled bleeding and from being set aside as unclean.

The despair of sickness and death moved both Jairus and the hemorrhaging woman to a posture of humility. With faith in Jesus’ power to heal, the prestigious synagogue leader falls humbly at Jesus’ feet, pleading for his daughter’s healing. The hemorrhaging woman socially and religiously rejected takes a leap of faith trusting that she would be healed by simply touching Jesus’ cloak.

 Both Jairus’ daughter who had died and the bleeding woman were restored to new life by faith in the Son of God.

 In the gospel we see Jesus revealed as Lord of Life with complete power over death. Death encroached upon Jairus’ daughter and Jesus declared that she was “sleeping”.

 Many in Jesus’ days viewed death as final. By raising Jairus’ daughter Jesus demonstrated that death was not final. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

 The raising of Jairus’ daughter foreshadows the focal point of the New Testament: Jesus’ own death and resurrection. Jesus rose never more to die. He is indeed the Holy One of God who has conquered death and will restore us to new and everlasting life.

 In response to this amazing revelation, we are all called to deepen our life of faith, to “die to self,” surrendering our wills to God’s will to receive new life, just as Jairus surrendered his status as a prestigious religious leader and the hemorrhaging woman surrendered her fear of social and religious rejection.

Prayer: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed that you are the holy one of God.” (John 6:68-69) May we open ourselves to you in faith, that we may arise to new life. Amen.

Tags: faith, hope, eternal life

About the Author
Deacon Lorna Goodison

Reverend Lorna Goodison was ordained to the Diaconate on April 29, 2007. After discerning a call to ordained ministry, Deacon Lorna completed a process of spiritual discernment and pursued three years of study at the Diocesan School for Christian Studies. She also completed three units of hospice care training through Vitas and for a short while she was a volunteer Chaplain. Highlights of her continuing education activities include a guided visit to Israel and attending the Festival of Homiletics in Boulder, Colorado.

Soon after her ordination, Deacon Lorna was called to serve as Deacon at St. Mary Magdalene. She initiated an outreach ministry to the homeless at St. Laurence Chapel, obtaining the support and involvement of most members of the congregation. This ministry remained a vibrant outreach of the Church until the Chapel closed in 2019.  Other outreach ministries formed include an informal group of members who stay in touch with members who are ill and shut-in. Deacon Lorna remains committed to both the in-reach and outreach ministries of the Church. She has led quiet day reflections for groups within and outside of St. Mary Magdalene. She has often led Deacon’s Masses at small churches without a priest. Of all the ministries in which Deacon Lorna participates, she is most humbled and grateful to be involved in the ministry of praying with congregants facing life’s challenges.

Deacon Lorna serves the Diocese of Southeast Florida as a member of the Disciplinary Committee. She also serves on the Board of Deacons.   

Professionally, Deacon Lorna worked for some years in Human Resource Departments as a Training Manager, but most of her working years were spent in Social Work. She worked with at-risk teenagers counselling them and guiding them to resources to build a meaningful future. The last twenty years of her profession, were spent working with Seniors, guiding them to the resources needed to maintain their safety and independence. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a master’s degree in Adult Education. She is now retired, cherishes some alone time for prayer and reflection, but divides her time between the Church and her family which consists of two daughters, their husbands and three grandchildren.

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