Luke 8:42b-48 (NIV)

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Reflection:

The amazing thing about this story is how Jesus, in the midst of so many people surrounding Him, could sense the touch of the edge of His cloak from a woman. How could this one woman, desperate to reach Jesus in the crowd that almost crushed Him, make Jesus take notice of her? The answer is faith. Rather than looking to ourselves or other means, faith is knowing where to go to receive what we need and from whom. Only faith in Christ releases God’s healing power. And that is just what the woman experienced - God’s healing power as she reached out in faith and touched the edge of Jesus cloak. True, there were so many others that touched Jesus and were in reaching distance. But what’s the difference? Here with the bleeding woman, we find genuine faith. It was worthy to be called out.

Responding to the Transmission:

Let us approach our Lord in faith today. May we turn our eyes to the Lord and ask for all that we need (healing, direction, wisdom, forgiveness, power). May we reach out to Him in faith, knowing that his mercy and goodness will bring healing to us (our heart, mind, soul and strength) and give us what we need.