Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may get well and live.” Jesus went with him,
and many people followed, pressing around him. Among the crowd was a woman who had
suffered from bleeding for twelve years.

This woman came up behind him and touched his cloak Her flow of blood dried up at once,
and she felt in her body that she was healed of her complaint. But Jesus was conscious that
healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who
touched my clothes?” Then the woman, aware of what had happened, came forward,
trembling and afraid. She knelt before him, and told him the whole truth. Then Jesus said to
her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be free of this illness.”

Some people arrived from the official’s house to inform him, “Your daughter is dead…” But
Jesus ignored what they said, and told the official, “Do not fear, just believe.”

Reflect

The pain and despair in today’s readings is almost unbearable. Anyone who has struggled
with chronic illness or who has kept watch at the bedside of a dying loved one can empathize
with Jairus and with the woman with a hemorrhage. In the face of illness and death, it can be
very difficult to hold on to faith and hope. The sorrow and burden can be overwhelming and
feel unending.

But the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that we have to “persevere in running the race” marked
out before us. We can only persevere in difficult times by relying wholly on Jesus who will never
abandon us in our struggle. Like the woman in today’s Gospel, we need to reach out to Jesus’
power, letting it fill us and strengthen us to go on. Like Jairus, we must humble ourselves to ask
Jesus for what we need. Only by reaching past our doubt and pride will we find the hope we need.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2023