Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24; II Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15: Mark 5:21-43
She had lived with this illness for 12 years. Having spent all of her money on doctors she had no one else to which she could turn. And as if that were not enough, her constant hemorrhage rendered her ritually impure. This meant she would have been banished to a life of solitude. She would have had to remain separated from her family and friends, separated from the community, for to be in contact with them would have made them ritually impure.
The same could be said also for Jairus’ daughter. Whatever her deadly affliction, this too separated her from her community. Even her father may have been considered impure because of his personal contact with her.
But this did not stop Jairus from seeking out Jesus that day. Neither did it stop the woman from reaching out and touching him. Both of them had faith in this man, Jesus, and in both instances, it was their faith that brought healing.
Today, so many people feel separated from family and friends, separated from community because of illness, whether it be chronic or even deadly. Many people have spent their entire life’s savings in order to find a remedy or cure for their illness. Every one of us here has been affected at some time by health issues and even death. Try to imagine if you were one of 47 million people in America, who have no access to basic healthcare, 8 million of them who are children’.[1] Many of these people feel isolated as they remain with no apparent hope for a cure and a life free from illness.
Because healthcare is such a major social issue in our nation there is a lot of discussion and rhetoric surrounding the issue of healthcare reform. Access to basic healthcare is seen not as a privilege, but as a basic human right by the Catholic Church. Because of this the Church calls us to work in our society to bring about those reforms necessary to insure that all have access to basic care.
Our Church in America has always had a major role in healthcare. Today 1 out of every 6 Americans receives healthcare in Catholic Institutions. Because of this the U.S. Bishops have called us to work to bring about the reform of our present healthcare system in America. To help us in our discussion the Bishops have provided the following basic principles by which we should measure any public policy that is being proposed.[2] At the top of the list is the basic respect for human life.
Respect for life. Whether it affirms and respects the sanctity and dignity of human life from conception to natural death. Whether it preserves the longstanding prohibition on federal funding for abortion.
Priority Concern for the Poor. Whether it gives special priority to meeting the most pressing health care needs of the poor and underserved, ensuring that they receive quality health services.
Access for All. Whether it provides ready access to quality, comprehensive and affordable health care for every person living in the United States.
Comprehensive Benefits. Whether it provides comprehensive benefits sufficient to maintain and promote good health; to provide preventive care; to treat disease, injury and disability appropriately; and to care for persons who are chronically ill or dying.
Pluralism. Whether it allows and encourages the involvement of the public and private sectors, including the voluntary, religious, and nonprofit sectors, in the delivery of care and services; and whether it ensures respect for religious and ethical values in the delivery of health care, for patients and for individual and institutional providers.
Quality. Whether it promotes the development of processes and standards that will help to achieve quality and equity in health services, in the training of providers, and in the informed participation of individuals and families in decision making on health care.
Cost Controls. Whether it creates effective measures to reduce waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary treatment; measures to control rising costs of competition that provide incentives to individuals and providers for effective and economical use of limited resources.
Equitable Financing. Whether it assures society’s obligation to finance universal access to comprehensive health care in an equitable fashion, based on ability to pay; and whether proposed cost-sharing arrangements are designed to avoid creating barriers to effective care for the poor and vulnerable.
These basic principles need to be considered in any comprehensive healthcare plan. Each of these principles has as their core value the sanctity and respect of the human person. This is a reflection of that value and dignity that Jesus exemplified in all of his ministry. Not to be limited by the social and spiritual mores of his day, Jesus would not separate himself from those in need of his care.
He asks no less than that of us today. We, the beloved sons and daughters of God, who dare to call ourselves Christian, must truly be what Christ has called us to be, his life-giving presence in our world. Today, in this Eucharist, let us pray for the grace to be the presence of Christ for those who are in need of Christ in our world. Let us pray for the grace to have clarity of mind and heart in the decisions we make for our nations future. Let us pray, that by our presence and action in the world, all will come to know the healing and loving presence of God.
[1] Data from U.S. Census Bureau, August 2008
[2] Statement for the Record, USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, May 20, 2009
