A woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years, who [had spent her whole livelihood on doctors and] was unable to be cured by anyone, 44 came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. Immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 Jesus then asked, “Who touched me?” While all were denying it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are pushing and pressing in upon you.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone has touched me; for I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 When the woman realized that she had not escaped notice, she came forward trembling. Falling down before him, she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
A woman with a menstrual flow (v. 43) would be ritually unclean (Lv. 15:19-31) and anyone she touched would become ritually unclean (v. 44). At first the everyone denied touching Jesus (v. 45) but then the woman, out of fear, confessed on her knees in front of everyone that it was she who had touched Jesus. She had faith in God’s power in Jesus to heal her. She was no longer ritually impure and could rejoin the worshipping community. God’s saving power must be complemented by our faith.
Almighty God, teach us to seek you with the eyes of faith so that we too can be healed of all that separates us from you. In your mercy grant us the gifts of Your Spirit so we can see beyond the limited constraints of our mind and serve others as you ask us to do. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Expanded Edition, Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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