This weekend we will hear the Gospel of two women, who represent the entire spectrum of society, from impoverished to privileged, who are healed through faith. Jesus says, “It was faith that saved you.” What does it look like? What does it feel like? How do we show it? For the faith that this Gospel points to is likely not what you may think. So what is it? Check it out.

1. 13th
Sunday in Ordinary Time – 2018 St. Paul’s Princeton, New Jersey
This week we are given the story of two daughters who represent the entire spectrum of society, from
impoverished to privileged. By weaving these two encounters with Jesus together, Mark challenges us with
how the healing path for the dying daughter of privilege is detoured in order to engage the suffering daughter
in the crowd.
So we begin with a story of a well-to-do synagogue official, Jairus, who falls to the ground begging Jesus to
spare the life of his daughter, who is “at the point of death.” Then on the way to his house Jesus encounters a
woman who has been hemorrhaging for years and seeks to be healed. For twelve years she has been
constantly bleeding – and thus is ritually unclean. She is filled with shame and humiliation. No one can hold
her or touch her. She has exhausted all of her money in attempts to be cured, living a lifetime of loneliness
and isolation. She was as good as dead.
Two women, different ages, different standings in society, both are dead and dying and yet…through faith…
their humanity is reestablished.
For this Gospel tells us that faith is more than just standing by and hoping and praying....rather faith requires
love based action. Faith requires us to take the first step. Yet, life can be so overwhelming and confusing
that we do not even know where to begin. So we need to pause…we need to talk to each other…to listen to
each other…so we can better understand each other, understand where we are called to be and how to have
the faith to take the first step in that direction.
So what is this “faith that saves you”? What does it look like? What does it feel like? How do we show it?
Recently, I came across a poignant answer, on just those same questions, from my friend Greg Boyle from
Homeboy Industries. For those of you who do not know him, he is a Jesuit priest who has spent decades
ministering to gang members who have lost hope. Fr. Greg is the founder of Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit
that provides job training, tattoo removal and other services for those newly released from prison and former
gang members.
This past week, during his morning thought-of-the-day for his employees, Greg openly wondered about the
line we heard in today’s Gospel: “You faith has saved you” …and what it really means. This this is what he
said and the story he told.
“I do not think faith has anything to do with belief. I do not think it has anything to do with our allegiance or
adherence to a set of beliefs or a belief system. I think it has to do with a decision to be anchored in love…
tethered to a sustaining God and not to be the least bit shaky about our unshakable goodness. That’s what it
means to be faithful. So it is not just being optimistic that everything will turn out...it is about being positive in
the power of your own love.
Last week I visited Pelican Bay prison, where it is said that they house the “worst of the worst” and where I
had an opportunity to meet many of the inmates and say mass. After the liturgy many of the inmates who
attended wanted to have selfies taken with me. It was then that I got to meet – Louie – one of those they call
“worst of worst” - someone who will never see the outside of the prison. He was just delightful and gained
much enjoyment from photobombing each and every picture that was taken.
As Sam, the prison chaplain, led me to the next prison yard, he told me this story about Louie:
Deacon Jim Knipper 1

2. 13th
Sunday in Ordinary Time – 2018 St. Paul’s Princeton, New Jersey
Several months earlier one of the finest pianists from Carnegie Hall came to give a 45 minute concert for
those inmates who were able to attend. About 60 men came to the concert and settled in…and pianist began
to play...and it was so glorious…the music was so beautiful…and was so magnificent. When Sam looked at
the faces of the inmates they were all sobbing…they were all crying…all of them had their faces in their
hands. And Sam looked at the guards and even they turned their faces away, discreetly flicking away tears.
Everybody was reduced to tears. It was so beautiful.
So the pianist finishes and he asks if anyone has any questions? And no one does as they are all just so
undone emotionally. Then Louie, the photo bomber, stands, but sobbing so hard he can barely speak, but
finally cries out just one word – “Why?!” And the concert pianist began to cry and he said, “Because you are
deserving of beauty – you are worthy of it and there is no difference between me and you.”
And that’s what faithful looks like. It’s about being anchored in love…tethered to a sustaining God and not
even one bit shaky about our unshakable goodness. That is the faith that will save you. That’s what Jesus
means. It is not about belief…it is not about optimism…it’s about choosing to live in a loving way each day.”
And there lies the core meaning of today’s Gospel. Faith requires us to fall from who we think we are,
acknowledging that all of us are broken in some way – and for us to have the faith that we are always loved
by a God who calls us to come forward – to take action – to show love.
For most of us do not yet live our objective, totally given, and unearned identity, "hidden with Christ in God."
Rather, our core identity in Christ has been made into a worthiness contest at which almost no one wins…so
many of us do not even try.
But it is this type of awareness – of faith - which sent Jarius falling to the feet of Jesus begging for new life! It
is the same, heart rendering, realization by the hemorrhaging woman that she was not unclean, in the eyes of
God, which allowed her to act on her faith - to rise up from her knees and reach out for new life through
Christ.
But as we see in today’s Gospel…God seeks faith...and God wants us to love. For this Gospel gives us the
stories of two people, totally different in most ways...who find themselves in the darkest part of their lives –
and are rewarded with love, compassion and inclusion when they had the faith to take the first step towards
Christ and thus experience resurrection.
Therefore if you and I want to experience the same: We need to look for moments in which people, like this
woman, are being excluded – and to comfort them.
We need to look for moments where people are called unclean, or unworthy – and welcome them.
We need to look for moments where people who are shunned, caged and separated – are freed and united.
We need to look for moments when we are challenged with circumstances in our lives where we need to have
the faith to fall into who we really are ‘hidden in Christ’. The faith that leads us to take positive actions in our
lives – actions that will bring light into our darkness, healing to our wounds, and comfort to our soul. A faith
anchored in love…tethered to a sustaining God and not even the least bit shaky about our unshakable
goodness.
Deacon Jim Knipper 2