Proper 8

Lamentations 3:21-33; 2 Corinthians 8:7-15; Mark 5:21-43

What does God have to do with afflictions like chronic illnesses and premature death? We find out in this Sunday's readings from Lamentations and Mark.

In Lamentations, Jeremiah finds hope in Israel's sufferings. If Israel can still suffer, it means Israel has not been entirely destroyed, and on that suffering remnant, Jeremiah hopes God will show mercy.

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus is stopped by a ruler of the synagogue who begs Him to heal his daughter, who is near death. On the way to the ruler's house, Jesus is detained by an encounter with a woman who touches the hem of His garment, hoping she will be healed of a 12-year sickness.

Click here to watch the sermon or read the transcript to find out what happens next and what it tells us about how God intends to restore a human race afflicted by sin.