Word on Fire is brought to you by Catholic cemeteries, serving the Chicago area since 1837.

This is Cardinal Francis George, and I invite you to join me for the next few minutes to reflect with Father Robert Baron on the Word of God, which is the Word on Fire.

Father Baron will challenge us to open our hearts to the Word on Fire, which is God's Word of Love for each of us.

If our hearts are open, the Lord can change and transform us, who we might speak with love about the one who is love.

The Archdiocese of Chicago through the generosity of Sacred Heart Parish and Winetka now presents the Word on Fire.

Peace be with you.

Friends, our Gospel for today, which is taken from the fifth chapter of Mark's Gospel, is a masterpiece, both in a literary and a spiritual sense.

The story itself is actually a very artfully crafted interweaving of two tightly related narratives.

The story of the raising of the daughter of Jairus and the story of the healing of the hemorrhaging woman.

But the way Saint Mark tells the story, he begins with the daughter of Jairus.

Then he sandwiches in, if you will, the story of the hemorrhaging woman. Then he concludes with the second part of the first story.

And then in a number of ways, he shows how we're meant to read these two narratives together.

For example, the daughter of Jairus, but then the hemorrhaging woman is referred to by Jesus as a daughter of Israel.

Also, the little girl is 12 years old, and we hear that the hemorrhaging woman has had her problem for 12 years.

The point is we're meant to see these two stories as tightly related to each other.

Now, what is this meaning we're meant to see?

Can I suggest you, to understand it, we have to look at the book of Leviticus.

Yes, even though it's probably one of the lesser read books of the Bible, it's very important for understanding the Jewish mentality,

and therefore to understanding much of the New Testament.

Many New Testament stories, very much including this one, are told over and against the book of Leviticus.

What do you find if you look in this interesting book?

You find a whole series of laws, requirements, prescriptions, prescriptions, rituals, all the various behaviors, activities, and laws that define the Israelite people.

...