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She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"
Ordinarily, in the Jewish practice of that time, physical contact with a menstruous woman or a corpse rendered a man impure. He could not take his meal with his family, attend the synagogue or temple, or engage in other religious activities. Impure was not necessarily, or even usually, sinful; but it required a devout Jew to go through the rituals of purification before resuming his pious practices. Not to do so would be sacrilege.
But in today’s gospel Jesus engages in two impure activities: he is touched by a menstruous woman and he takes the hand of a dead girl. In both cases, cleanliness flows from him and heals the ailing persons. This is more than an unusual incident; it is the dissolution of the entire tradition of clean and unclean.
By discarding this peculiar custom the Christian religion could leave its Jewish origins and move into the gentile world, inviting everyone to know and believe in the Jewish messiah.
Today’s two stories also, and perhaps more importantly, signal the Christian’s new appreciation for women. In all four gospels Jesus consistently shows affection and respect for women. Some, like the Samaritan woman at the well, Mary Magdalene, and the sisters Martha and Mary of Bethany, seems to be disciples of Jesus. The early church not only recognized the role of women in announcing the resurrection of Jesus, it honored those women who moved throughout the Roman Empire proclaiming the gospel.
In the first chapter of Saint Mark's Gospel we have glimpsed Jesus as the new Adam. He lived for a while “among the wild animals” in the desert as Adam and Eve had lived. By his touching and being touched by women, and by his wonderful healings we see him radically reshaping the human family. There should no longer be unfair distinctions of gender. No longer will a husband rule over his wife or a woman’s lust bind her to slavery. These were the ravages of sin. (Genesis 3: 16) In God's kingdom, husband and wife will be free, as Adam and Eve were created free, to love each other generously, eagerly and with healthy dignity.
Cleanliness flows from him, Jesus. This gives such hope for the sinner. I particularly like the Gospel of Luke and his emphasis on Jesus' relationship with women. It gives hope to the underclass category of women.
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