Hosea 2:14bc.l5cd -16.1 9-20,
Psalm 145:2-3.4-5.6-7.8—9,
Matthew 9:18-26) Full Readings
Healing Touch
Today's Gospel presents to us two healing touches: One of a woman who was suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years and touched Jesus' cloak and she got healed immediately. The other touch is of Jesus touching the daughter of the official who had come begging Jesus to touch his girl for she had died. And when Jesus took her by the hand, she immediately rose up. These two touches show the power of touching or being touched by Jesus.
Mathew presents these two miracles with few details, other than Mark. Matthew is interested only in underlining the faith of the participants and the authority of Jesus. Faith in Jesus performs anything even by a mere touch of Jesus' cloak or by just a mere word.
The woman with hemorrhages had extraordinary faith in Jesus and in His power to heal. She longed to touch Him and when she touched His cloak, she got healed. Do we ourselves long to touch Jesus? We are not going to touch Jesus' physical body or cloak but always to come to Him and receive Him in the Eucharist, to revere and touch his cross, and any other sacramentals. In this way with our faith, we have really touched Jesus and felt Him and indeed we can receive Jesus.
Do we also long to be touched by Jesus? This should be our everyday prayer, that Jesus may come, touch us and raise us up, as He did to the young girl. Jesus touches us in many ways either by Himself touching us spiritually or through His servants which he entrusted His Mission. When Jesus touches us we cannot remain the same, our lives are automatically changed and we are healed.
However, this healing touch is only possible with faith in Him, the faith like the one of the official who pleaded for his daughter and that of the woman with hemorrhages. When we are in need, whom do we go to? Do we go to Jesus and get the help we need? Do we believe that Jesus can heal us and save us from every evil? With faith all these are possible, and so let us always strive to deepen our faith in Jesus.
Let us be inspired today by the faith of these two. As a woman longed to touch the cloak of Jesus, let us also with courage and confidence, long everyday to touch Jesus and get the healing we need. Let us also always pray that Jesus will touch our lives and transform them by the faith we have in Him and also increase our faith.
Reflect today on the healing touch of Jesus, and His power to do anything in your life. Have you placed your trust in Him and always long for His healing touch? Pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to increase your faith daily and then experience the healing touch of Jesus.
Let us pray.
Lord increase my faith, help me to approach you humbly with that faith and let you alone to work in my life. Always grant me grace to see and touch you by faith and trust in how you want to transform my life. Amen
Be blessed.
Lord I long for your Healing Touch me where you will and heal me. Amen
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