IF I CAN TOUCH HIS CLOTHES, I WILL BE WELL (Hebrews 12:1-4/Psalm 22:26-28,30-32/Mark 5:21-43)

IF I CAN TOUCH EVEN HIS CLOTHES, I SHALL BE WELL
(Homily for Tuesday 5 February, 2019.)

The target of any athlete or a wrestler is to see that he/she gets to the end of the race or wins the fight no matter what it takes to achieve it. That is why an athlete or a wrestler engages himself in a strenuous training before the competition just to win the race and get the prize that will not even last forever.

I have never seen where someone who gave up during a race competition ended up winning. In fact, giving up is not an option for winning. Then if an athlete or a wrestler could do all these exercises with an end in view of winning just a trophy, a prize or even people's accolades, praises and admiration that last for a while how much more comparing to our spiritual race which has an awaiting prize and reward that lasts forever. This means that we have to make extra efforts and struggle no matter what it takes to get it.

This is just the summary note of the first reading today. We are being encouraged as Christian not to relent in our daily efforts and constant struggles. To keep pushing on in our faith, having Christ as our point of reference Who persevered till the end despite the insults, torture, humiliation, and pains that associated with His passion and death. Even though there may be obstacles to arrive at the end of this journey just like an athlete is gasping for air and thirsting for water before finishing the race, he does not give up because a big prize awaits him.

These daily struggles involve avoiding sin and then throw off everything that hinders us, especially the sin that clings so easily and then keep running the race we have started (Heb 12:1). It is through our faith in Him that we will win the crown.

The gospel of today presents us with the healing of a woman who has suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years and the raising of the Jairus daughter from death. It was the faith of this woman and the Synagogue official that brought them to Christ.

They heard of Him and they believed that their problems will be solved by meeting Christ. Like in the case of this woman with the issue of blood who has spent all her resources seeking for a cure but still she didn’t get any but immediately the thought of meeting Christ enveloped her, she went without any delay and her thought of touching only Christ’s clothes proved the greatness of her faith.

For her, she does not even need Christ to touch her or pronounce words of healing on her. Just His cloth is enough for her healing. This is a very big lesson for all of us. We must not wait until our faith becomes a high mountain before we put it into action rather, a small faith like a mustard seed can move a mountain as Christ said in the gospel (Matt 17:20).

We can see this gospel verse taking its fulfilment in this woman. Though little her faith, it brought her the healing she could not get from different medical doctors for 12 years. Indeed, the faith in action of this woman is a very big challenge to us and Christ used this to teach us a lesson of fanning into flame our faith no matter how little it is.

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, give me the grace to touch you with my faith and may your healing come upon me. Amen.