I doubt Jesus began his day with the knowledge of the two encounters he would have. Still, as he often does, he side-steps the crowd encouraging him to do something “better” and instead focuses on the most left out, because no one is insignificant to him.
We often find ourselves in today’s main characters. The little girl doesn’t approach Jesus herself, but it’s her dad’s radical faith that brings Jesus’ healing to her. The woman had endured twelve years of exclusion, and her faith is of a type that nears desperation. Even when cured, her instinct for shame returns; yet Jesus encourages this “daughter” of God.
Our faith journeys are naturally winding and we may sometimes not feel worth the trouble but, like the two in today’s Gospel, no one is ever too far gone from Jesus’ healing touch.
A Question: What hidden part of me does Jesus want to heal?
—Henoch Derbew, S.J., a scholastic of the US Northeast province, is currently studying philosophy at Loyola University Chicago.
