Daughter, your faith has made you well

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying.

As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her haemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you." But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me." When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."

While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer." When Jesus heard this, he replied, "Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved." When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child's father and mother. They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, "Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called out, "Child, get up!" Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.

- Luke 8:40-56

It's important to note that this passage from Luke is also reported in the same way in both Matthew and Mark. That is, these two particular miracles are grouped together: Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, comes to Jesus for help with his only child, a daughter twelve years of age, who is dying. On the way to Jairus' house, Jesus feels that someone in the crowd has touched him: he's felt power go out of himself, and a woman is healed. Afterward Jesus makes his way to Jairus' house, and with Peter, John and James in attendance, Jairus' daughter - who by now is considered past saving and deceased - is healed as well.

I consider the grouping of these two miracle healings extremely important from my perspective as a woman. It's an illustration of the love with which Jesus views all of us, including those of little importance in the social structure and in particular the special attention and care he's giving toward a haemorrhaging woman and a little girl who is just on the brink of puberty. The haemorrhaging woman would have been considered unclean in the society, and so set apart. In the Old Testament tradition, her bleeding would have caused ceremonial defilement, imposing religious and social restrictions, for contact with blood was strictly prohibited. (Lev. 15-25) It is perhaps for this reason that she approaches Jesus in a "stealthy" way, because she has had to set herself apart - and it is only by faith that she's bold enough to touch the hem of his garment, thinking that she is unknown.

But Jesus feels the power go out of himself: he's always aware of what he is about, he understands what relationship he's engaged in, and senses the healing that has been encountered. So he asks, "Who touched me?" In the jostling of the crowd, no one can tell him the answer. But the woman boldly responds, despite her defilement, that it was she who did so. Jesus not only responds with love, but calls her, "Daughter." In this statement we can understand his relationship to us in faith: all things are healed and cleansed in Spirit - this woman considered unclean is his daughter, and so he calls her in front of all the crowd, the public from which she was set apart as unclean.

In the meantime, Jairus' daughter has expired. The servants come to tell Jesus and Jairus that his daughter is dead. But Jesus once again in this example teaches us his mastery over time: there is time to heal the woman, and there is time yet for Jairus' daughter. He did not rush so to help the daughter of a leader of the synagogue that he did not have time for the bleeding woman he calls "daughter" himself. And so, taking in his closest circle of Peter and John and James, and to the derision of those who know the daughter is dead, Jesus heals the little girl. This child again is someone of no importance in the society - social status would come with eligibility for marriage and she's just about to enter that status, but she's still a little girl. The one who loves and values her is her father, who has asked for Jesus' help. And so, in another connection through faith and love, Jairus' daughter is also healed - resurrected. Poetically, the "unclean" woman who asked for healing in secret is publicly revealed as Jesus calls her "daughter," but when the leader of the synagogue's daughter is healed, Jesus orders the witnesses to tell no one.

Two daughters, connected to Jesus' healing power through faith and love. We all stand as equals in that love, faith and power of the Spirit. Later Paul will write (in today's Epistle reading, from Romans ch. 14):

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.

It is in the power of true faith that all things become clean. In this relationship of love and trust, two daughters, both beloved, are healed. We are enlightened through this example of love, and to the radical equality of all subjects of this kingdom.