Just a Touch - Wednesday 7 February 2007

It seemed that I had been searching forever, for a cure for my illness, for normal human affection, for a sign from God.
You see because my illness involved bleeding I was permanently unclean. It was enough that I had to cope with that and the weakness I felt due to my illness but one by one everything else was stripped from me. First my husband divorced me; well I was no good as a wife if he had to ceremonially wash every time he came near me. Then my children got very fond of his new wife and I never saw them. Even the synagogue and all religious services were denied me because of my uncleanness. I still had a house, my husband saw to that but only my savings. So at first I went to them all, all the doctors I could find, traveling miles because I’d heard of one who could help me. I had to allow them to examine me and take their disgusting potions. And little by little all my savings ran out. I couldn’t work either and was forced to beg for my living.
When I heard about Jesus I have to admit I was a bit skeptical, I mean, I’d been there so many times but as the days passed I heard the eyewitness reports, blind men healed, lepers cleansed, no doctor ever cured leprosy.
I thought about it for a while then one day I don’t know why I woke up and thought
‘I’m going to find this man Jesus’ after all I had very little to lose. So I set off asking all the way for reports of his passing. When I reached the lake of Galilee and was told he had gone across to Gadara I was a bit put out but I reckoned he’d be back soon. So I just sat by the shore and waited with all the others.
When the boat came into sight the crowd was going mad and one of the synagogue leaders got in first because he was so important, his daughter was ill or something.
The news passed through the crowd and suddenly we were all on our feet, all rushing to follow Jesus and his disciples as they went to Jairus’ house.
I couldn’t let him get away not after all this time so I rushed up through the crowd, desperate now and utterly certain that if somehow I could just touch him I would be healed and he would probably never know. Then the crowd parted and I ran forward stooping down just to lightly touch the very hem of his garment.
It was as though a mighty power ran through me and suddenly I knew I was healed, the bleeding stopped and I have never felt so well. I stopped in my tracks transfixed at what was happening. But then he turned, of course he knew. He began to ask around, ‘Who had touched him’. His disciples argued saying that everyone could have but of course not everyone had been healed.
I was frightened; I had stolen healing from him, would he take it away from me? But I have always been honest so I crept forward and fell at his feet trembling with fear and told him. And then he said with a smile that spoke of deep love.
‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering’
I heard later that he raised the little girl from death. It didn’t surprise me.

Your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering’ Mark 6:34