Preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Church
Can you picture how this woman who had been considered unclean for 12 yrs had managed to get through the crowds surrounding Jesus to be able to touch even the fringe on his robe? She chose totally to ignore the fear of the repercussions if anyone recognized her and realized they were now unclean and would have to perform the ritual purifying enactments. She sensed she could not go up and ask Jesus directly for a cure but had heard such tales of his healing abilities and kindness that she was filled with hope and faith that he would heal her if she merely touched the tassel of his cloak. I have always doubted that Jesus did not know who had been healed. He wanted her to know it was all right to have done what she did and he wanted others to know how much he esteemed her faith in him to be able to heal her just with a touch.
For the sake of ritual purity this woman was ostracized from society. While we don’t have the same laws now, are there individuals that we ostracize from our society? What about those with addictions of any kind? Some science and medical practitioners indicate that opioid addiction, for example, is a chronic, often relapsing disease of the brain. Although the initial decision to take drugs may be voluntary, chemical and neurological changes to the brain severely restrict a person’s self -control. The disease hinders one’s ability to resist intense impulses to take drugs-despite harmful consequences to themselves and to others. I’ve been told that most addictions are treatable and there are things we each can do to help. We can encourage people in recovery, we can support treatment opportunities. We can commit to not use hurtful or damaging words about those who face addiction. There are many other opportunities we can do to lessen the difficulties of anyone who feels ostracized.
The crowds had heard the leader of a synagogue beg Jesus to come and touch his daughter who had just died. He was truly distressed and willing to try anything to bring her back to life. Was the crowd that got up to follow Jesus only curious to see another miracle performed or were they just excited to think a healer was among them and wanting to see for themselves? In the Hebrew scriptures the power to bring back life was often by touch, by laying on the inert body and or breathing into it. There is no denying that Jairus also had the faith that is so esteemed by Jesus. Matthew does not name the synagogue leader but we learn the fathers name Jairus from the other evangelists.
Our life depends on saying yes, we are with you, Jesus, and to the gift of faith given us. If we are sincere, our yes will be evident in everything we do. Jesus has said; whoever lives the truth comes to the light so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God and through. Perhaps what can be gleaned from the Epistle this morning is that when we have the Spirit of God within us, we have all the help we need to live for God and not for selfish or worldly ends.
When we receive the Eucharist, the body and blood of Jesus we more than touch the fringe of Jesus’ garment. In faith we reenact the mystery of Jesus reaching out and touching us to give us his life. We are reminded that our bodies as well as our souls benefit by Christ touching us. When we receive Christ by faith, we begin an immediate personal relationship with God. This relationship has to be nourished by our taking time to think of God, to meditate, to read and reflect and most of all, to listen. It takes faith to keep on doing these things even when at times it can feel like we are doing nothing. The Holy Spirit works in us to help us become like Christ. Then everything we do, every action, no matter how lowly a job or how high, becomes a prayer The Spirit unites the Christian community in Christ. The Holy Spirt can be experienced by all and works through all of us.
Christ is in our midst!
