There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. 28 She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” 29 Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” 31 But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
The woman with hemorrhages for twelve years had faith that Jesus could heal her. Besides the physical discomfort she experienced, she was isolated socially because, according to Jewish law, her condition rendered her ritually unclean so she could not participate in Temple rituals and activities (Lv. 15:25-30). She had also spent all her money on medical treatments that made her condition worse. Her situation appeared to be hopeless. Despite her despair, she heard about the miraculous healings of Jesus and she, like many others, trusted in Jesus’ power to heal and was convinced that if she could touch only the tassel of his cloak she would be healed (Mk. 6:56; Mt. 14:36). She approached Jesus indirectly because since she was unclean, she could transfer that ‘uncleanness’ to Jesus or anyone in the crowd she touched. As soon as she touched Jesus’ garment, she knew that she was healed. She was no longer impure and could again participate in Temple rituals and activities. The woman’s faith and conviction of heart allowed the divine healing power of God to flow from Jesus to her.
Jesus wanted to let the woman know that it was he who had miraculously healed her and that she was not healed by happenstance or by magical contact with his garments without his knowledge or consent. The disciples were surprised when he asked, “Who has touched my clothes,” as it would be impossible to tell since there was a large crowd around him. The woman was overwhelmed by what had happened to her and, approaching Jesus with a sense of deep reverence, awe, and humility, told the truth about her illness. Had she told her story before she was healed, the crowd might have driven her away or worse because she would have exposed them to legal defilement. Jesus dismissed her saying “Daughter, your faith has saved you.” Addressing her as “daughter” indicated that she was restored to the community, the family of faith. Jesus allowed the miracle because of the woman’s faith. Mark’s message to the early Christian community was to be bold in approaching God and if it is God’s will, he will heal them of all infirmities if they have faith. Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.
Almighty God, like the woman with the hemorrhage we come before you seeking healing and restoration from any afflictions that separate us from you. Increase our faith so that we may truly believe in your power to make us whole and experience your healing touch in our lives. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
__________________________________
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
Comments