Proper 8B - June 26th - July 3rd
Readings: 1 Samuel 1:1,17-27 (evening) Psalm 130 2 Cor.8:7-end Mark 5:21 - end
The Gospel Reading features two episodes. The healing of the woman with persistent bleeding is sandwiched between the story of the healing of jairus's daughter.
Last week's gospel story was the stilling of the storm. These two healing stories again focus on the powe rof Jesus, and the faith of those who put their trust in him - contrasted to the panic of the disciples in the storm tossed boat.
The story of the woman is told in such a way as to highlight her position. She had been bleeding for 12 years - that in itself would make her unclean - and any sexual partner would have shared that uncleanness - or should we say dis-grace. She had tried the doctors but they had just made her worse (and poor). She hides in the crowd. She is behind Jesus - and invisible to the crowd and to Jesus. Jesus knew that something had happened to him - his power had gone out. He wanted to know who had touched him. It turned out that of all the people thronging round, it was a woman, poor, unclean, outcast touched by the power of God.
There is another twist to this story. The woman touched Jesus. She may have been frightened that this touch passed her uncleanness and dis-grace on to Jesus. But her trust in Jesus must have been strong enough to realise that he would accept such a touch - and that her healing was made possible by his willingness to take on her dis-grace. | There is an excellent reflection by William Loader called "should I touch him?"
Woman with haemorrhage - by Louis Glanzman |
