The maid is not dead, but sleepeth

Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, November 10th, 2013

Fr. Todd Bragg

St. Margaret Anglican Church

Indianapolis, Indiana

". . . for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.  And they laughed Him to scorn."  (St. Matthew 9:24)

In today's Gospel passage, St. Matthew tells about two miracles.  As Jesus is gathered together with some of John's apostles, St. Matthew tells us that a ruler comes to ask Our Lord to come and heal his daughter because she is on the verge of death.  As they went to the house, a woman who had been sick for twelve years touches the hem of Our Lord's garment and is cured.  Now, St. Luke adds a bit to this same story.  He points out that there were a huge multitude of people when this woman touched the hem of His garment and immediately Our Lord asked, "Who touched Me?  When all denied, Peter and they that were with Him said, Master, the multitude throng you and press you, and say you, Who touched Me?"  (St. Luke 8:44)  But in St. Matthew's version, Our Lord merely turned to the woman and told her that it was her faith that made her whole.  

Now, when Our Lord had arrived at the ruler's house, He soon discovered that the young woman had died already.  St. Matthew tells us that there were people there at the home bewailing the death of the young girl.  We are told that there were minstrels / musicians there in the house as well playing lamentations about the girl's death.  Our Lord stated, " . . .  give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth." (v. 24)   Now, in all fairness, if it were you and I facing the same circumstances and some stranger walks into the house and calmly announces that our friend was not really dead, we would probably have the same reaction.  But Our Lord did what He came to do.  He got everyone out of there so that He could go to work.  He raised the young girl to life again.  

Now, a couple of observations in regards to this story.  First, Our Lord used the word "sleep."  Note that He also used that word "sleep" in similar story.  Remember that He used this word when He was speaking of Lazarus.  See St. John 11:11:  "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth."    Now, St. Bede wrote concerning Our Lord using this phrase:  "As though He said, to you she is dead, but to God, Who has power to give life, she sleeps only, both in soul and body."  In Psalm 119:7, we also hear: "Turn, O my soul, into thy rest, for the Lord has been bountiful to thee."  

Secondly, what seems foolish and laughable to those who are not believers, Our Blessed Saviour is able to turn something truly unbelievable into something miraculous.  " . . . with men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."  (St. Matthew 10:27)   God is the One Who makes things possible.  He is the One Who achieves what we thought is not attainable.  He is the One Who performs miracles just when we had lost hope.  What seems impossible to us, is not impossible to God.  As Christians, we are called to look beyond our physical sight, our physical vision.  We are called to looked down deep.  Because what appears one way to the outward senses is something completely different from reality. 

Following pictures were taken on Sunday, November 10th, 2013 when Bishop Larry Shaver and Mrs. Carol Shaver visited St. Margaret of Scotland Church.  We are always happy when they are able to join us for Mass.  

Above:  Mrs. Carol Shaver along with His Grace, Bishop Larry Shaver

Above:  Mrs. Margaret Simpson; Bishop Shaver; Jean Smith

Above:  Mrs. Linda Decker with Bishop and Mrs. Shaver

Above: Fr. Todd Bragg along with His Grace, Bishop Larry Shaver, after Mass.

Above:  Bishop Larry Shaver at the Coffee Hour