“Daughter your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” “Little girl, I say to you arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.”
Today’s Gospel presents to us two very powerful examples of a woman and a man’s tremendous faith in Jesus and in his power to heal. Jairus, a synagogue official is experiencing a parent’s worst nightmare, the impending death of his twelve year old daughter. He begs Jesus, “Please, come just lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” Interrupting this plea, comes a woman who has been suffering with hemorrhages for twelve years. Believing that if she just touch Jesus she will be healed, she comes up behind him and touches his cloak. Immediately her flow of blood dried up. Instinctively she felt that she was cured of her illness. Jesus, realizing that power has gone out of him inquires who touched him. The woman in fear and trembling falls down at the feet of Jesus and tells him the whole truth. He says to her “Daughter your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your illness.”
In the meantime, horrible news comes to Jarius that his daughter has died. Jesus response to Jarius is “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He goes to Jarius’ home and takes the child’s father and mother into her room. He takes the girl by the hand and says “Little girl, I say to you arise!” The girl gets up and begins to walk around. Jesus tells them to give her something to eat.
Two beautiful hymns come to mind when reflecting on the scene in today’s Gospel, are “What a friend we have in Jesus” and “He touched me.” Jarius and the woman believed they had in friend in Jesus, someone they could go to with all their sins and griefs to bear. They could carry everything to God in prayer. They had such strong faith in Jesus they were confident that he would intervene in the tragic circumstances of their lives and bring them healing and strength. The hymn “He touched Me” also expresses the sentiments of the woman and the young girl who were healed by the simple touch of Jesus. Shackled by heavy burdens, neath a load of guilt and shame, then the hand of Jesus touched me, and now I am no longer the same. He touched me, he touched me, and O the joy that floods my soul; something happened, and now I know, He touched me and made me whole.
It is our faith in the Risen Christ given to us in Baptism and nourished each day by prayer and the reception of the Sacraments, that empowers us to face the difficulties and tragedies of life, confident that Christ will give us the grace and strength to see us through and be victorious in this life and the life to come.
Lord, what a friend we have in you. We bring before you all our sins and griefs in prayer. We ask you to take our trials, temptations, sorrows and fears. Shield us, touch us with you healing Spirit so that we may find solace in you amid all the uncertainties of life. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.