Jesus heals a woman bleeding for 12 years.
A meditation on Matthew chapter 9 verses 20 to 22.
Jesus heals a woman bleeding for 12 years.
A woman who had a discharge of blood for 12 years came behind Jesus and touched the fringe of his garment.
For she said within herself,
If I just touch his garment,
I will be made well.
But Jesus turning around and seeing her said,
Daughter,
Cheer up.
Your faith has made you well.
And the woman was made well from that hour.
She sees him coming in the crowd.
She is desperate to get to him,
But she doesn't elbow people out of the way.
That's not her style.
She weaves through the crowd,
Trying not to be noticed.
She throws herself down as he passes to catch the very edge of his clothing,
Thinking no one will notice.
She's just a woman after all.
She feels the cleansing,
Healing power of wellness wash through her body,
Head to toe,
As her uterus stops shedding its lining and returns to working order.
She is clean.
She is on the floor,
Dusty and dirty,
But she is clean.
She thinks she's got away with it.
But Jesus feels the healing energy leave his subtle body to heal her.
He turns around and his eyes find hers like a laser.
She is too ashamed to meet his gaze.
Who touched me?
He asks,
Calm and present.
It's just a question,
Not an accusation.
The disciples blustering and posing all masculine energy,
Exclaim with disdain.
Are you kidding?
There are a thousand people here.
Who touched me?
He knows,
But he wants her to say it.
She is still prostrate in the dirt.
She turns her head to the side,
Avoiding his gaze as far as possible.
She screws up her face and closes her eyes as if it physically pains her to own her action,
Her daring,
The courage that many would call an imposition or worse.
It was me.
Her body tenses in anticipation of the punishment,
The blow of words or fists so familiar to an unclean woman in a righteous man's world.
He reaches down an outstretched hand to help her to her feet,
A public acknowledgement that she is taking her rightful place in the new world that he is building.
Daughter,
Sister,
Friend,
Your faith has healed you.
Peace.
He turns to leave.
The crowd moves on.
But there she stands on her own two feet,
Cleansed,
Healed,
Whole.
She feels the earth beneath her feet supporting her.
She is stepping back into her power.
