Who touched Me?

So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

- Luke 8:40-56

Yesterday, we read the story of the man possessed by so many demons that he gave his name as "Legion." Jesus has traveled across the Sea of Galilee, to the country of the Gadarenes. Encountering this poor man, shackled and naked, and living among the tombs, He commanded the demon to come out of him. The demons begged not to be put into the abyss, but to be allowed into the herd of swine who were there in this Gentile country. Jesus allowed it, and the swine raced toward their deaths down a cliff into the sea. The local people were afraid and wished for Jesus to leave, and the now-healed young man wished to stay with Jesus as a disciple. But Jesus told him to go to his house in the city, and tell his friends and those who knew him "of the great things God has done for you." See What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?

So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. Jesus' "return" is from the country of the Gadarenes, across the Sea of Galilee, where He has healed the man called "Legion." He returns to the place where all are waiting for Him, in contrast to the forsaken land of the tombs among which the healed demoniac lived. Here, the ruler of the synagogue welcomes Him with faith that Jesus can help his daughter.

But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" This is an interesting thing: Jesus, who knows so much about people without being told, asks who touched Him. Is it a testimony to the jostling of the crowds, and their numberless quality? Or perhaps it teaches us something else about this story? One thing we do know is this: she is healed from the touch of the border of His garment. And He knows it too.

When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched me?'" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace." Jesus draws the woman out: He knows that she has made a connection of faith with Him. It is her faith that has drawn out His power. My study bible makes an interesting note about the power of God, how objects sanctified by God can carry God's power. It is as if God is a great powerhouse of energy, and our faith makes a circuit that carries that energy of the holy, the great healing power we witness in the Gospels. He draws her out, she is His "daughter." Her faith has made her well: He, who is the source of the power, gives full credit to her faith for the healing!

While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." Here is another emphasis on faith: as He was on His way to the house of Jairus, another episode of healing has taken place. But there is still time. It is faith that must be sustained through time. This is a great story about patience, as well. Somehow, the circuit we make with our faith also gives us time for what we need in life; God's power is not a slave to time - rather it is the other way around.

When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. Here is another healing miracle of the most astonishing kind. What strikes us most powerfully, though, is the emphasis on faith, on belief. The ridicule He endures emphasizes the nature of faith: sometimes we may have to sustain faith even to the extent that we fight a common assumption, the beliefs of those around us, our peers. But a sustaining faith can't fall victim to popular notions if it is rooted in something true and good that stands the test of time, and gives us options for that belief. And this is also a testimony to hte value of patience, even through tension of the most exacting kind. We hang on to the spark that is within us, the lamp in our hearts that makes the circuit or connection with this power. In this case, the power of God is something that defies all assumptions and expectations. In my opinion, it all depends on what (or Who) we put our trust in. The case of Jairus' daughter is unlike the woman who touched His hem in a significant sense: the woman was someone He drew out before the crowd when she wished to remain hidden. Now it is Jesus' turn to tell the witnesses to an astounding healing that they must keep silent and "tell no one what had happened."

Two miracles in today's reading -- both of which are reported in the same way in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, as well. One is of a stupendous nature and requires secrecy, and the other is in its own way phenomenal but the woman is drawn out from her secret place. Jairus feels Jesus must hurry to save His young daughter -- she is dying. But the woman with the flow of blood has passed twelve years of suffering already. She takes the initiative in secret, but Jairus is an important man and all the community knows what is happening to his only child. But there is one common thread and it is faith: the woman's self-found faith, and Jairus's faith which must be encouraged by Christ. How does God's power work in our world? We must be alive to the capacity within ourselves for the faith that makes us a part of that circuit of the holy, and draws God's power into our midst. This is not a made-up, false faith, a power to draw us into emotional frenzy of one sort or another -- but rather the trust we put in God, in Christ. It's like any other relationship of love: we discern where we put that love and trust, what or who will not betray us, where our heart teaches us to put our faith. The Greek root for "faith" and also "belief" used here in the reading is also inseparable from the word "trust." How do we nurture that love and trust, and find it in ourselves? It is similar to Jesus' asking us to take heed how we hear, and keep the lamp lit in our hearts that responds to His word. Where is the place for spiritual sight and hearing that makes the spark in your life, that builds the flame of connection with God?