Saint John Bosco, Priest (Memorial)
Daughter, your faith has saved you. (Mark 5:34)
“Ready or not, here I come!” Watching children play hide-and-seek can be quite entertaining. A “hiding” child will often close his eyes and remain very still, even if his hiding place is in plain view. Little children seem to think that if they can’t see the other kids, then the other kids can’t see them.
This is kind of how the bleeding woman in today’s Gospel approached Jesus—she tried to hide herself. But why would she? Maybe she was ashamed. With her flow of blood, she would have been considered “unclean,” and people would have avoided touching her. Maybe she feared being ridiculed by the crowd. Maybe she didn’t want to take the risk that Jesus might reject her. After all, he was her last chance!
So she tried to hide in the crowd as she reached out for Jesus. But it seems she didn’t hide all that well. Jesus sensed that her touch was different from everyone else’s. He could tell that her faith was connecting with his healing power.
Like this woman, we sometimes want to hide from Jesus. Of course we know that it’s silly to try, but we do it anyway. Jesus can see our needs, our embarrassment, and our sins just as clearly as we can see that child playing hide-and-seek. He’s just waiting patiently for us to uncover our eyes and come to him.
But Jesus doesn’t see only our hidden faults. He sees our hidden virtues too. He sees every step of faith, every humble act of service, every silent prayer, and each one is precious to him. Just as he commended this woman’s faith in front of the crowd, he commends us when we act in faith. And not only that, but he pours even more grace on us in response.
It can be hard to believe at times, but Jesus really does love you. He really does want to bless you. He already knows what you need, and he’s eager to give it to you. So don’t hide from Jesus. Don’t let fear or shame keep you away. Reach out to him. Proclaim your confidence in his love and power. Then sit quietly and hear him say, “Your faith has saved you” (Mark 5:34).
“Jesus, I don’t want to hide from you. Come, and touch me with your healing love.”
Hebrews 12:1-4
Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32
Daily Marriage Tip for January 31, 2017:
Sometimes spouses have different conversation goals. Be aware of your styles of communication as well as the direction of your conversation – whether you want to vent, bring clarity to a problem, or get a new viewpoint on a tough situation.