Mark 5:24-34 - Reaching Out to One who Cares

At that time, a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well." And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched my garments?" And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.

photo by Berkeley T. Compton
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O Lord, give me the faith of the woman with an issue of blood. She, in her desperation, knew of only one place to turn. In faith, she grabbed the hem of your garment and in faith she received the healing she desired. In Your Humanity, O Christ, You did not perceive who touched You, nor did you ascertain for whom Your power left Your body.  But, this woman, O Lord, seeing she could not keep her action a secret, fell at Your feet and sought Your Mercy.  Your Mercy, O Lord, is exactly what was received and Your healing touch endured as she left.  Grant that I might, this day, touch the hem of Your garment. In Faith, I prostrate myself before You, asking for Your healing for You, in Your Mercy, delight to heal those approach You in Faith. Amen.