Who Touched Me?

The Good News of Christ confronts me with an invitation to so change my perspective that even suffering becomes a gift!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to “eat crow” over some idea I had or position I held that turned out to be, oh, not necessarily “wrong” but “too small” or “too narrow” for the subject at hand.

It’s made me a bit gun-shy at times to make a definitive statement before I’ve had the time to contemplate my thoughts.

This is a good way to become sober about your opinions and beliefs. If you can practice the humility to examine your ideas dispassionately, you can grow.

After all, as the scripture says, “The heart is deceitful above all things And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

This, and all the wisdom of the fathers warning us about the delusion of our hearts and minds and the spiritual cancer of prelest (spiritual self-righteousness), should at least slow us down in making final statements about profound truths. Maybe a bit of humility is necessary.

Look at our lesson today in Mark 5:24-34:

At that time, a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.” And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

This is such a familiar story in the Gospels that I wonder how much treasure we should glean from it.

First, notice the desperation of this woman. She had spent years and a fortune trying to get this doctor and that doctor to help her with her physical problem. And after all that effort, all that attention, and suffering, she wasn’t better at all.

She was worse.

I confess I’ve felt that way about spiritual illnesses in my own life. I’ve become discouraged from ever finding a way out of the pain of this or that spiritual struggle. I bet you’ve felt the same way at times. I’ve felt the desperation of one last try! I’ve also felt the joy of that “last hope” being Christ Himself!

Next, notice that the crowd didn’t realize what was happening right before them. They were all consumed by their own struggles and desires to see and touch Christ.

What a gift the Gospel gives us: this insight into the treasure of this woman’s struggle and healing. You may find that others around you are so consumed with their own struggles that they overlook your own desperate place. But don’t let that discourage you. Touch Christ!

Finally, notice Christ and His more profound knowing. Everyone was trying to touch Him. The crowd was pressing in on Him. The palpable desperation was everywhere. Suffering people, hungry people, desperate people, all wanting Jesus to make them better. Were they helped, too? Were they healed, too?

We can’t say.

But we know this woman touched the hem of the Lord’s robe in desperate faith. And she was healed that instant. The Lord knew A desperate faith had touched him. Of course, He knew who touched Him, but He wanted the crowd to know who touched Him too. There are stories in your life that others need to hear. Those desperate around you are in despair and will never find peace. Your willingness to be made known and share your story with others may be what they need to hear!

St. Barbara was a young woman born to a wealthy father. Towards the end of the 3rd century, she lived in Heliopolis. She was a beautiful woman, and when she came of age, she heard the Message of Christ and believed in Him. Her father was a prominent businessman and a leading pagan of the city. He had a bathhouse built in the town for the people, but he was called away on business before it was finished. St. Barbara had the workmen add a third window to the public bathhouse, and she even inscribed the symbol of the life-saving cross on the marble. When her father returned from his trip, he asked why there were three windows, and St. Barbara shared with him the mystery of the Gospel of Christ and the Holy Trinity. Her father became furious and demanded Barn]bara renounce Christ, but the holy hero refused. So, her father had her tortured and martyred for the Faith.

Today, your present suffering is offering you an opportunity. This woman suffered for 12 years, and all of that was to bring her to Jesus Christ. If you allow your suffering to get you to Jesus Christ in humility and faith, you will see your suffering in a new light. You will find the treasure of living a Normal Orthodox life.

P.S. O noble Champion, following God who is reverently praised in Trinity, you abandoned the temples of idols. Struggling amid suffering, O Barbara, you were not overwhelmed by the threats of the tyrants, O brave One, even singing aloud, "I worship the Trinity, the one Godhead."

Fr. Barnabas Powell is the parish priest at Sts. Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cumming, GA. He is also the founder of Faith Encouraged Ministries and produces the Faith Encouraged Daily Devotional on Substack. Watch the Faith Encouraged YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/@FaithEncouragedTV