This story of the woman being healed because she touched the fringe of Jesus' garment has always intrigued me. She knew the power of Jesus to heal and she was going to get to him somehow. I love the painting of this by Judith Mehr. You can see the longing in the woman's face and the gentleness of Jesus as he turns to her.
The woman in our story today had to overcome great obstacles to get to Jesus. She was impure in her day and probably desperate as she was most likely cut off from society. However, her tenacity kept her pressing on to Jesus because she knew he could heal her. I am probably adding fiction to the story by suggesting that the touch made all the difference but I believe we can gain insight into our own lives through its telling.
We have become afraid to touch. Yes, of course there are boundaries, but how many times do we block ourselves from the touch of others and God - both emotionally and physically? I remember two powerful times when God was in the physical touch. It had been a couple of hard days for me and the members of our parish. One of our beloved matriarchs of the church was dying. She could not seem to settle. A group came and sang to her, hospice workers gave her medication and made her comfortable, her family massaged her and still she tossed and turned and cried pitifully and fretfully. "It is near the end," the hospice nurse said, "sometimes it is hard at this point." The family decided to leave the room but I stayed. I sang in a gentle soothing voice but this had no calming effect. Finally I probably broke all pastoral rules of the day, but I curled up beside her tiny little body and wrapped my arms around her. I held her close and told her of all the love of God, her family and my own love for her. "Go with God," I said, "I'm right here with you."
Immediately she relaxed and cuddled down in my arms. The hospice nurse came to check on us and smiled. "You knew she needed the touch, didn't you?" she asked. I nodded and lay my head back on the pillow next to her. Her breathing slowed and we stayed there together until she died twenty minutes later. "Go in peace," I whispered as I kissed her forehead and stood up to leave.
I was in tears by now - partly because my dear parishioner was gone and partly because I feared what I had done. I had broken all protocol for pastors. The nurse looked at me and saw that I was crying. "I hope I don't get in trouble," I said, "I broke the rules didn't I? "It was necessary," she said, "your touch made all the difference." She held my hands, "YOU go in peace" and she left the room. HER touch was what I needed at that moment too.
I am learning that God is in those powerful moments when we dare to let ourselves be used for God's glory. Just this past week as I handed out groceries to someone in our neighborhood, the woman suddenly turned to me as she started to leave. "Can I just hug you?" "Of course," I said and then she started to cry. "Thank you Pastor" and she left abruptly. I prayed as she left that my touch was somehow a bit of God to lighten her load. The woman in our story today knew the power of Jesus to heal her. If only we can discover this too.
Reflection and journaling
Blessing - When has God touched you? What changed for you when this happened? When has the physical touch of someone else healed you?
Challenge - sometimes our past history makes it difficult for some of us to embrace being touched. How might the love of God help us heal in this area? Can we imagine ourselves in the gentle and safe embrace of God? While we want to adhere to all good boundaries of touch, are there times we hold back a hand shake or a hug because of fear? Is this fear justified or selfish?
Prayer - Comforting God, you touch us in so many ways and often we do not recognize them. Open our hearts to be willing to touch others that are helpful and holistic. Heal today people who are suffering from pains of the past where touch wounded them deeply. Let us seek your wisdom in our lives and reach out our hands to make the difference in the lives of others. In the name of Jesus who touched the outcast and unclean and changed their worlds, amen.
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