This Sunday, we reflect on the two miracles Jesus performed for two women. The first one is the healing of the woman who suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years. The second miracle is bringing the twelve-year-old daughter of the synagogue official back to life. In the first instance, the woman reaches out her hand to touch Jesus (v. 27) and in the second instance, Jesus takes the girl by the hand (v. 41). The woman was slowly dying from her sickness and the child is already dead, but their encounter with Jesus brings them back to the fullness of life. The whole episode here is a miracle within a miracle, with two “daughters” and two stretches of a dozen years.
Life was slowly departing from the woman with hemorrhage, since blood is the seat of life in the Scripture (Lev. 17:11). According to the Law of Moses, anyone who touches this woman becomes unclean also (Lev 15: 25-27). But something contrary to the belief happens here when Jesus touches the unclean woman. Instead of making him impure by the touch, she receives the healing. Many people touched Jesus that day, but only this woman could touch Jesus with faith and bring forth the healing power from him. Her physical healing is the result of her confidence and belief. She believed, prayed, and touched and thus got healed. She encountered Jesus that day and that completely transformed her life. We might have come to this church as usual, but today we may have to touch, experience, and begin a personal relationship with Jesus. Just have faith in the healing power of Jesus, then grace and power can flow from him into our lives, changing us forever. Now Jesus wants us to listen to his words again: “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease” (Mk. 5:34).
Unlike many synagogue officials we see in the Gospel, Jairus is different. He is not only known to the people in the town but also is friendly, loving, and humble. He is in need, and his only concern is that Jesus would come and heal his daughter before it is too late. When people told Jesus that the girl was dead, Jesus told Jairus: “Do not be afraid, but have faith!” (v. 36). The unwavering faith of Jairus was the main reason for Jesus to perform this great miracle – giving life back to a dead person. Also, Jesus wants them to understand that death is not the end of human life, as God is in charge of our lives. Some theologians interpret the raising of the daughter of Jairus is a foreshadowing of what would later happen to Jesus himself. We need God’s power to overcome death and create us anew (Isa. 25:8; Ezek. 37:13). We need to pray constantly until our prayer is completely answered by God. Our God can, and is willing to work, miracles in our lives as an answer to our prayers.
This Gospel passage tells us that God is the author, sustainer, and preserver of life. Life is the greatest and most sacred gift we receive from God. We must make every effort to preserve not only the life of human beings but also of everything God has created, including the nature. In both instances, Jairus and the bleeding woman expressed great faith in Jesus. Then, rather than just asking God to solve our “problems”, we pray for stronger faith and to have a special place for us in his heart. Today, as we try to touch Jesus, we also pray that Jesus might touch and heal us from all our sicknesses.
Rev. Dr. Mathew Charthakuzhiyil