She had suffered a lot at the hands of many doctors and had spent everything she had, but instead of getting better, she was worse.
Because she had heard about Jesus, this woman came up behind him and touched his cloak, thinking, “If I just touch his clothing, I
shall get well.” 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?” His disciples answered, “You see how the people are crowding around you. Why do you ask who touched you?”
But he kept looking around to see who had done it. 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.” While Jesus was still speaking, some people arrived from the official’s house to inform him, “Your
daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?” But Jesus ignored what they said, and told the official, “Do not fear, just believe.”
And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house,
Jesus saw a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. Jesus entered, and said to them, “Why all this commotion
and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.” They laughed at him. So Jesus sent them outside, and went with the child’s father
and mother and his companions into the room, where the child lay. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha kumi!” which
means, “Little girl, get up!” The girl got up at once and began to walk around. (She was twelve years old.) The parents were amazed,
greatly amazed. Jesus strictly ordered them not to let anyone know about it; and he told them to give her something to eat.

Reflection:

“Jesus then crossed to the other side of the lake.” It is on this
“other side” he meets with Jairus, raises his daughter, and heals
the bleeding woman. George Valliant, a psychiatrist, writes in
his book Spiritual Evolution: “All forms of spiritual healing have
in common empathy, healing within a circle of caring persons,
permission to feel and express emotion, shared responsibility
for pain, and reverence for life rather than for self.” Only
empathy can cross over to “the other side” and connect
with those who live there. By empathy, we extend our circle
of self to include the other as integral part of our own being.
Without empathy, we separate, exclude, dehumanize, and
demonize those on the other side. This is also why when his
military, schooled in the art of othering, rejoiced at the
elimination of Absalom, David grieved, seeing Absalom as an
extension of himself.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2022