Lent Devotional March 9, 2026

Scripture

Mark 5:21-43

21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him, and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue, named Jairus, came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and pleaded with him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians and had spent all that she had, and she was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his cloak, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her flow of blood stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my cloak?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the synagogue leader’s house, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42 And immediately the girl stood up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this and told them to give her something to eat.

Devotion

Bishop Darren J. Rogers ’17

Think about a time when you were completely focused and had all your attention on something that was particularly important, and right at the critical moment, when you were finishing the most critical step, out of nowhere . . . an interruption! During the fourth quarter of a playoff game, your team is driving for a last-second win—and your spouse steps between you and the TV and asks for advice on their outfit.

The COVID-19 pandemic was the most monumental interruption to society in the last 100 years. Sometimes it might not look like God is present, as it was with Joseph, being sold into slavery by his brothers. Life thrown off course, plans interrupted, dreams put on hold! Yet there is a type of interruption that can occur that can potentially be life-changing by releasing God’s virtue in your life. We get upset when something interrupts our expectation, but sometimes an interruption is exactly what the doctor ordered, so that the healing process can begin. Could it be that God wants to interrupt our pain and suffering to exchange it for new life and wholeness?

In Mark chapter five, there were two desperate people who needed help—and needed it now! Jairus had a sick child who lay dying at home, and he convinced Jesus to follow him home to heal her. But there was also a woman with a 12-year-long issue of blood who heard about Jesus and believed that if she could get close enough to touch the border of his clothes, she could be healed. This woman, considered unclean, had the audacity to get down on the ground and push her way through the crowd of people and touch the border of Jesus’ garment, and she was immediately healed, delaying Jesus reaching Jairus’ daughter.

Jesus immediately felt healing virtue leave his body.

“Who touched my clothes?”

His disciples said, "What are you talking about Jesus, everybody is touching you?"

“No, someone touched me!”

When Jesus finally makes it home with Jairus, they receive the news, “I’m sorry Jairus, she’s gone!”

Jesus said, “The girl is not dead.”

That seems like such a strange thing to say. She was dead! Everyone knew it, including Jesus. However, Jesus saw things very differently from everyone else. To those present, it was final and it was real! But Jesus saw it differently: the girl needed only to be awakened—something very easy for Jesus to do.

Could it be that we are just one desperate situation away from experiencing the life-changing virtue of Jesus—if we just reach out to touch him? I believe that now is the time for a divine interruption to take place in your life and in the Church. We need divine interruptions to disrupt our norms—there, the Spirit of God will interrupt our routine and release God’s divine virtue in us.

Prayer

Father, thank you for Your love and healing virtue. You are never late; You are always on time. Help us to reach for the border of Your garment when we sense You near, and help us to trust You when we receive distressing and fearful news. We look to You for our strength and draw upon Your virtue to sustain us. We thank you for working with us, in us, and through us in our struggles. To You be all glory and honor. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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