Immediately her issue of blood stopped. Looking about, Jesus asks, “Who touched me, for I know that power has gone forth.”
The woman with the hemorrhages is a story that is found in each of the synoptic gospels (Matthew 9:20–22, Mark 5:25–34, Luke 8:43–48). This woman, whose name we do not know, has heard about the power of Jesus. In her faith she thinks, If I but touch his clothes, I will be healed. In her faith, she touches Jesus’ garment. Instantly, Jesus knows that he has healed her for he says, “Power has gone forth from me.” The apostles are astonished that he could perceive this because everybody is pressing upon him. Yet Jesus knows that this woman who approaches with faith and literally only touches his clothing is healed.
Every time we reach out to Jesus in faith, power goes forth
We can learn someone thing from this woman. Though we may not see the effects of our acts of faith and our prayers with our eyes, we need to believe that every time we reach out to Jesus in faith, power goes forth. It is Jesus who is the answer to our every need to be healed. It is Jesus, and only Jesus, who is the way to the Father. Even now, He is at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. We need to go before Him humility and ask Him to heal us in the ways that perhaps only He knows we need to be healed. He is the answer to every conflict and every need for conversion.
Healing of a woman with an issue of blood: she kneels before Christ after having touched his robe (Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48) by Jacob de Bie, 1598 – 1618
Read the poem Goel
With this post, I am including a poem written during Covid quarantine last year. There are many allusions in this poem to the events of the history of the people of Israel that this woman, this daughter of Abraham with memories and knowledge of the history of her people, would have known.[i]
Goel גֹּאֶל
Exposed and naked, life in shame
Because of blood, relentless flow
No sacrifice sufficient
No wealth enough to buy a cure
Because of blood of twelve year flow
As infant left exposed in blood
no one to care, to cut the cord,
in blood to squirm in open sight
All remedies at physicians’ hands attempted
Every treatment tried made situation worse
A cry for relief from affliction made
for grace of healing to restore to life
A close kinsman-redeemer seen in dreams
To seek a safety sure within his tent
With wings encircling, cloak surrounding claim
He calls, “My daughter, do not be afraid.”
A sandal drawn to give exchanged for rights
Yet gathering after reapers food to live,
like foreigner without place among my own
O God, my Lord, remember your servant
Restore my life, in mercy, give healing
Purify, that I may dwell beneath your gaze
Near mercy seat to see your face within your tent
For you are my inheritance, O Lord
Your tent the dwelling my heart of heart seeks
For I am your inheritance, an open place
Your word, my bread, sustains in desert places
Like terebinth, encircling limbs with roots so deeply set
A tree that gives to all who seek its shade near living springs
A promised place of comfort where sweet water draws to save
Hear rumored healing acts of Jewish Rabbi’s hand
New hope
This man of God
Behold the ransom glimpsed
The path obscured by crushing crowd
the healing source, His cloak; His presence near
His sandal seen; now reaching out to garment hem
As hand to garment reaching; touches tassel glides like breath
Immediately, power flows like tidal wave
His healing wash moves through my deepest self
The bleeding ceased; exposed and free
Unashamed, seen and known
Closer than breath
Clothed, sealed
He asks, “Who touched me?” Nesting words in open heart
His word alight; this open heart disposed
Soft, melting words whispered; my open ear receiving[ii]
New fecundity wrought by His breathing
Though all are touching, pressing near to His body
He stands knocking; hand on handle, awaits my act
So washed by Him, my feet are bathed, awaiting love’s rest
The door opens to His voice; come into this dwelling
“Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
He knows my touch drew healing from its source
Knows my very depths does he who made the stars[iii]
His body like a bridge across my life[iv]
Confession falling from my lips to Him
The language of my body read in truth[v]
Unveiling mind; a suppliant heart bowed
Deep calling deep, my heart gives word
Speaking truth to Him who drew me to Himself
Professing Him, trembling, offering bestowed
to His body, blood, soul, divinity
The act I made to seek a healing sure
He found me in the secret of this wound
So flowed anointing oil and wine to soothe
In binding wounds, He carried me Himself
Daughter, your faith has saved you, heard
Taking deep draughts from living font
Formed in true worship spirit and truth
with eyes fixed toward the true Jerusalem
“Go in peace.” His peace He gives
A new promised inheritance
His pledge of the good things to come
Co-heir, redeemed by healing love
What does Goel mean?
NB: Goel : Easton’s Bible Dictionary
“In Hebrew the participle of the verb gaal, ‘to redeem.’ It is rendered in the Authorized Version ‘kinsman,’ Numbers 5:8; Ruth 3:12; 4:1,6,8; ‘redeemer,’ Job 19:25; ‘avenger,’ Numbers 35:12; Deuteronomy 19:6, etc. The Jewish law gave the right of redeeming and repurchasing, as well as of avenging blood, to the next relative, who was accordingly called by this name.” [vi]
Full list of references available upon request
Image available on WikiMedia COmmons.
[i] Luke 13:16
[ii] Hitz, Zena, March 3, 2020. “The Intellectual Life of the Mother of God.” Podcast Audio. Thomistic Institute, Player FM. Accessed 1 May 2020, https://player.fm/series/the-thomistic-institute-1144064/the-intellectual-life-of-the-mother-of-god-dr-zena-hitz. See also Rom. 10:12: “Faith comes by hearing.” St Augustine: “So that is why Mary, too, is blessed, because she heard the word of God and kept it. She kept truth safe in her mind even better than she kept flesh safe in her womb. Christ is truth, Christ is flesh; Christ as truth was in Mary’s mind, Christ as flesh in Mary’s womb; that which is in the mind is greater than what is carried in the womb,” Sermon 72/A, 7, http://www.vatican.va/spirit/documents/spirit_20001208_agostino_en.html, Accessed 5/6/20.
[iii] White, Thomas Joseph. November 7, 2019. “One of the Trinity Was Crucified.” Podcast Audio. Thomisic Institute. iHeart.com, 25 November 2019. Accessed 1 May 2020, https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-the-thomistic-institute-31059333/episode/one-of-the-trinity-was-crucified-53093928/
[iv] Athanasius and Behr, J., 2011. On The Incarnation, paragraph 25, Yonkers, N.Y.: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press.
[v] John Paul II (1997). The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan. Boston, MA : Pauline Books & Media 1997.
[vi] “Topical Bible: Goel.” BibleHub. Accessed June 28, 2021. https://biblehub.com/topical/g/goel.htm.
Written for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time | Posted June 30, 2021
