Do not be afraid; only believe

 

 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 that, following a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and the disciples sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.   Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

 

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.  My study Bible explains that, for the Jews, contact with blood caused defilement and led to religious and social isolation (Leviticus 25).  The woman shows a bold faith by approaching both Christ and a ruler of the synagogue in the crowd, potentially defiling all of them and subjecting herself to ridicule.  

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."   My study Bible comments that "Who touched Me?" does not simply mean a physical touch.  Rather, this question means, "Who touched Me in faith?"  Just as "the temple sanctifies the gold" (Matthew 23:17), so also matter is sanctified by Christ's Incarnation.  The power of Christ therefore works even through His garment.  To touch His garment in faith is to touch Him.  In the Church, my study Bible explains, we touch Christ through many means such as icons, oil, water, bread, wine, etc.   When this is done in faith, the power of Christ is received.  

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."   My study Bible says that Jesus calls the woman forward both to take away her fear and trembling and also to strengthen Jairus for the forthcoming news of his daughter's death. 

 

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.  At the moment Christ is still speaking to the healed woman, news of the death of Jairus' daughter comes.  Let us again take note of the role of faith here.  Jesus takes careful pains to bring in with Him only Peter, James, and John (the disciples with the strongest faith) and the mother and father of the girl.  This is how He dealt with those who ridiculed Him.   The text notes that Christ acts to put them all outside.  This is one of three resurrections in the Gospels (see also Luke 7:11-17, John 11:1-44).  In the earlier story of the widow of Nain, Jesus touched the coffin of her son; at the raising of Lazarus, Jesus called out to him.  Here again Jesus uses a life-giving touch (He took her by the hand) and also gives a command ("Little girl, arise").

 

 There is an important understanding given in Scripture about things which are set apart for the glory of God, things given over and sanctified for holiness.  This applies to the temple and all of its services and functions in the Old Testament, to the workings of the Mosaic Law, and various other ways of understanding holiness.  In the New Testament it applies also to the people of God, the faithful, whom Jesus says at the Last Supper He has called out of the world.  See John 15:19, in which Jesus tells the disciples, "I chose you out of the world" in explaining that they are not "of the world."  See also 1 Peter 2:9.  In yesterday's reading and commentary, we read about the man afflicted by a "Legion" of demons, and his healing by Jesus.  As part of the context of the story, the people by whom that man was surrounded were fine with the circumstances in which they freely raised their swine, and he lived among the tombs -- but they were sorely troubled both with fear at his healing and by the loss of their swine.  This man had to return to his home where he could proclaim the great things God had done for him; clearly the environment among these people allowed no room for what was healthy, and there was no welcome for Christ there.  In today's reading, we may observe the importance of setting apart what is spiritually healthy from what is not.  Christ heals through touch which works via faith, is effective together with the faith of the individuals involved.  He goes so far as to separate all the people in the household of Jairus away from the girl and His act of healing, and He takes only Peter, James, and John with Him into her room (besides the mother and father, whom He's counseled "Do not be afraid" and "only believe").  While the woman with the blood flow took a great risk herself in being a part of that crowd, and had great faith to touch the hem of His garment, He separates her to display her faith and make her an example to the others, adding, "Your faith has made you well."   Although she has violated the law regarding contact with blood and interaction with community, He tells her to "be of good cheer" and, "Go in peace."  In taking specific steps to set people apart in each scenario in today's reading, Jesus is doing so to protect and to shore up faith.  We are given a teaching, through Christ's acts, about how important it is to take all the steps necessary to protect our faith -- and by doing so, effectively to protect our health, be that spiritual, mental, or physical.  In whatever ways we are healed through Christ, it becomes essential to understand this notion of being set apart as that which guards our strengths, and helps to have boundaries against that which will in some way harm faith -- and therefore well-being.  Since healing depends so much upon the quality of faith, and the associated characteristics with faith, such as strength of character, persistence, joy even amid suffering, and especially hope, we are given examples whereby we may take positive steps to protect the real gains for well-being that our faith helps to bring about.  The person struggling with addiction who is helped through prayer and the "Higher Power" of Christian faith, the one who must get healthcare for a family member and struggles with despair or depression but is taught persistence via their faith, or the person who struggles with their own sense of purpose which is fed by faith -- and so many other possible examples -- all must take steps to protect positive forward movement for healing, and this means taking all steps necessary to protect and cultivate faith.  It means surrounding ourselves with those who may help build our faith, who affirm the positive outcomes of prayer and its effect in us, who will not tear down the things we do to help ourselves within a struggle for well-being.  Jesus gives us an affirmative courage to do as He did, and to remember and protect the one thing needed.  Let us take steps to protect our identity as those whom He has called out of the world that offers despair and defeat -- and hold firm to the hope He gives for our lives.