Hope touches the Divine

Today, we go still deeper into the mystery and gift of Christ’s healing power. Recently, we were challenged to have faith in God’s healing power, in His love for us, and to see Healing primarily as Spiritual Freedom from sin.  We also challenged ourselves to get practical, and to trust that God wants to heal us. One biblical character who portrays these realities beautifully is the woman with a hemorrhage (Mt 9:19-22; Mk 5:24-34; Lk 8:42-48). She had suffered at the hands of doctors for 18 years, and we can suppose she had become quite desperate. 

Note the reiteration that healing is not merely a physical phenomenon.  This poor woman had tried medicinal remedies with zero positive results.  We often seek healing in medicine, psychologists, exercise, and home remedies.  But, when these are separated from the power of God, when we do not seek to heal our PERSON, we are not fully healed.

The woman in the Gospel heard about Jesus and heard that He was near. Hearing is not just a matter of sound waves vibrating the ear drum, it is a matter of listening and in this case, listening to and about the Word. By listening, through hearing, this woman believed.  Her belief bore the fruit of hope, and she not only desired to be healed, but acted upon this desire. True hope is alive and active: 

“(She) came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. 

She said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.’” 

In the midst of the crowd she had little chance of speaking to Jesus.  So she reached out and touched his cloak.

“Immediately, the flow of blood dried up.

She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.” 

We too have heard about Jesus, and have heard that He is near. Some of us are able to speak, some of us are able to go long distances, some of us have the courage to shout in the midst of a crowd. Then, there are those of us who are too sick in body or soul to do such things. Our only strength is our faith, and this at times (if not always) seems but a faint flicker in the depths of our hearts. Yet, when we draw upon this faith as the woman in the Gospel, then it too becomes a lively hope that reaches out and touches the Holy One.  It is saying "Yes" to God, a proof that we desire to overcomes obstacles. It is the spark of love, or even desperation, that pushes us through the throngs of this earthly life in order to touch, even gently, the Divine Healer. 

Hope touches the Divine.