While (Jesus was speaking to the crowd), an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter had just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live." Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.
The Word in other words
Today's Gospel text has parallel accounts in Mark 5:21-43 and in Luke 8:40-56. I take all three together in meditation as well as the reading from Genesis 28:10-22. They serve as the guide for my path today and the whole of my life.
I note that the number 12 is mentioned or alluded to. Twelve years is the age of the little girl who was sick and then died. Twelve years is how long the woman who touched the cloak or the hem of the cloak of Jesus has been suffering hemorrhages. And Jacob who is the main character in the first reading from Genesis would be famous, among other things, for having twelve sons- who would eventually become the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Twelve, Biblical scholars tell us, is considered a perfect number, symbolizing God's power and authority. In the Gospel, Jesus, Son of God, exercise this power and authority over sickness (of the woman with hemorrhage) and death (of the daughter of the official). The healing that comes from Jesus is in His touching (taking the hand of the dead girl) and in His being touched (by the woman in the crowd).
Today, I invite the Lord Jesus to come to me and conquer whatever sickness I may have, and whatever death I may experience. Today, I invite Him to be and continue to be the Master of my life. Today, I ask You, Lord, to help me realize the grounds and places where You are, just as Jacob did, to touch with love and healing whoever and whatever You send my way. I pray that when I am touched by anything or anyone, Your grace and love in me is passed on. Today, I ask for a similar sensitivity to persons and things around me that You exhibited when the little girl arose from her death bed. Mark and Luke say that the very first thing You said to the parents of the girl was to give her something to eat. Ah, what sensitivity. Ah, what grace. Today, through me, may such grace, love, and healing take place in my part of the world.
- Fr. Roderick C. Salazar, SVD (CKMS, QC)
