14th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 5th July 2021 — Gospel: Mt 9,18-26
Steadfast Faith
In today’s gospel, the story of healing the woman with hemorrhage is embedded in the story of raising the daughter of the synagogue official. In both these accounts, we see Jesus’ power over death and illness, as He becomes healer and giver of life. It is also an image of God’s mercy and love. In these stories two different persons, the official and the suffering women, approach Jesus in a unique way and each seek healing by different means. However what unites them is that each has tremendous faith in Jesus that leads to touch as a means of healing. We can draw on two points from these stories. Firstly, it is never too late to ask for God’s help. The woman touched Jesus after 12 years and the official approached after his daughter’s death. Jesus who raised the little girl awakens hope from the nightmares of helplessness and sadness. Secondly, nobody is anonymous in Jesus’ eyes. He wants to look at our faces as He looked at the face of that suffering woman. Jesus not only heals her but praises her courage in taking such a risk.
