Talitha Cumi

Talitha Cumi: Jesus' Aramaic Words of Life and Miracles of Faith

Jun 30, 2024 – 6th Sunday after Pentecost | Mark 5:21-43

Talitha Cumi: Jesus' Aramaic Words of Life Revealed

"Talitha Cumi" — Intriguing words, aren't they? They signify "little girl, arise." It's rare and wonderful when the New Testament accurately describes what Jesus said. The New Testament was composed in Greek, the common language of the first century, much as English is now. Jesus told His followers to disseminate the gospel across the world. Thus, they wrote in Greek for universal understanding. In Israel, however, they spoke Aramaic, a type of Hebrew. Occasionally, the gospels copy Jesus' remarks in Aramaic, preserving the exact sounds He spoke.

Imagine a man retelling a story about his father. When he reaches a crucial moment, he pauses and states, "Dad said this." His vivid memory of that incident is so powerful that he recalls and retells it precisely as he remembers it, not forgetting any details.

St. Peter Recalls Jesus' Miracles of Faith

St. Peter recalls today's Gospel account with incredible vividness. The author of this gospel, the Evangelist Mark, was not one of the twelve disciples but traveled with Peter and recorded his statements. "Talitha cumi," which means "little girl, arise," is how Peter remembered today's event.

However, this is not the only miracle of faith in the Gospel text. First, another miracle happens in the middle of the story. The woman with the unhealed blood flow is not the main event. She is merely a sideline. Mark's Greek linguistic structure makes it grammatically obvious.

Our attention should focus on the little girl on the verge of death. Nonetheless, this woman interrupts, taking Jesus' precious time. This interruption teaches us several essential lessons.

Healing the Woman with Touch and Faith

For the past twelve years, the woman has been suffering. She has spent everything she has on finding a cure, enduring horrific treatments from doctors who have only made her situation worse. According to Jewish law, her bleeding makes her ritually unclean, preventing her from entering the temple or giving offerings for her sins. She is religiously and socially hopeless unless someone comes to her rescue.

She has been looking for a solution to her dilemma, representing the slow death we all experience due to sin. The law condemns us to death, a fact we frequently disregard. But she can't ignore it. She knows she's dying. Her agonizing and expensive hunt for a cure only worsen the situation.

In her distress, she learns of Jesus. She ponders: "If I can just touch His garment, I will be healed." She does not try to talk to Him, implore him, or preserve a piece of His garment as a charm. She simply needs to touch His clothing. She's correct. When she touches Jesus' garment, she is immediately healed physically and ritually. She can now approach the priests in the temple and demand to be in, and they cannot refuse her.

Daughter, Your Faith Has Made You Well

Jesus tells her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well." This fundamental principle distinguishes the New Testament from the Old Testament. While the saints of the past were considered virtuous by faith, Jewish religious practices required physical purity. Sin causes death, and the Old Testament high priest had to be in good health and dressed in three layers of elaborate garments to enter the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifices on the Day of Atonement.

With Jesus, God accepts us regardless of our physical condition or clothing. God accepts us because His Son is perfect. Faith and baptism clothe us with Christ's righteousness. As Paul states in Romans, we are clothed with Christ. God no longer sees us as unclean and dying from sin. He sees His Son. He sees the perfect health and righteousness of Christ.

As a result, our physical diseases are no longer a source of fear. Our trust in Christ gives us spiritual health so strong that no physical illness can threaten our relationship with God. Even when we, like this woman, are afraid and tremble and hesitate to approach Jesus, He already knows what we need. When this woman tells Jesus the whole truth, she is already healed. His garments have cured her, as He affirms with His words, "Daughter, your faith has made you well."

The Second Miracle of Faith: Jesus Says "Talitha Cumi"

The first miracle appears to be a sideline to the second miracle. That is critical because it demonstrates what Christ provides to people who believe in Him.

Before Jesus performs the second miracle, the synagogue ruler's slaves fear it is too late because the girl has died. They instruct Jairus, the synagogue ruler, to stop wasting Jesus' time. Their dissatisfaction is understandable from a human standpoint. Why didn't Jesus move quickly? Why didn't He dismiss the crowds and most of His disciples immediately? Why did He not prioritize the dying child over the suffering woman? Death was regarded as final, taking loved ones away.

Despite his suffering, Jairus held onto a sliver of hope. He had heard about Jesus' amazing healings and, desperate, begged Jesus to lay hands on his daughter.

Consider what Jesus says to Jairus. He overcomes the servants' lack of faith by saying, "Do not fear, only believe." Faith is how we obtain life—not something we earn or make, but something we receive as Jesus delivers faith.

What occurs next is astounding. Jesus, followed by Peter, James, John, and the girl's parents, holds the dead girl's hand and says, "Talitha cumi," which causes her to awaken. She arises from the dead. This was not a plea but a direct command to life itself. This miracle demonstrates the power of faith and what Christ provides for believers.

Our Promise of Resurrection in Talitha Cumi

"Do not fear, only believe." That is the essence of Jesus' mission: to raise the dead and reveal that people who die in faith do not truly die. They only sleep for a short time, departing this world in peace, no matter how it appears to us on Earth. The angels gather them to Christ's bosom in heaven, where they wait contentedly for their Lord to take them by the hand and say, "Talitha cumi," or "Little girl arise, little boy, arise."

That is the Christian hope in a world that is rapidly fading. The concept of resurrection is overwhelming, just as it was for those who observed it. The sight was etched into St. Peter's mind, and he never forgot it. Throughout his life, as he spread the gospel, he eloquently repeated Jesus' precise words: "Talitha cumi."

That is a blessing from God's word. The men who recorded it for our salvation knew it was true as they witnessed it. In the Christian Church, we believe in the certainty of the resurrection rather than the probability of it occurring. Although the girl's resurrection was impressive, it was not the ultimate event. Jesus told them to keep it quiet. The ultimate event is Christ's resurrection, which assures us of the certainty of our resurrection.

We wait in hope, clinging to Christ's righteousness and trusting that in our baptism, we are clothed in His garments. It is enough. We will rise from the dead.