Wednesday in Advent 2: A desperate hope

Opening Sentence

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Isaiah 40:5

Revelation Canticle



Collect of the Day

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Texts: Psalm 35, 36 (M); Psalm 37 (E); Isaiah 28:1-8, Mark 5:21-43 (M); Isaiah 29:1-14, Revelation 14 (E)

Death itself must flee at Jesus's word. He raises Jairus's daughter by simply saying, "Talith cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Words are not necessary, however, for the woman with the discharge of blood. In faith, she reaches out to touch the hem of Jesus's garment, knowing that this is sufficient for her healing. The depth of her faith is all the more astounding considering the fact that she "had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse." What reason did she have to believe Jesus would be any different? She had tried everything else.

Was it desperation or hope which caused this woman to seek out Jesus and touch the hem of his garment? Perhaps it was a little of both; a desperate hope that, at long last, she would find in Jesus the healing that had so long eluded her. What she did, however, was no mere lark. The closer she got to Jesus, the stronger her faith became. A person of lesser faith would have given up. The crowd was pressing in and Jesus himself was otherwise pre-occupied with Jairus. Still, this woman persevered. Perhaps that is what made the biggest impression on Jesus. This woman never abandoned hope. She continued to trust that God would heal her despite twelve long years of one setback after another. Now, in Jesus, God had finally rewarded her perseverance. All she had to do was touch the hem of his garment and be healed.

There remained the final comforting word from Jesus that confirms the woman's faith. Knowing "that power had gone out from him," Jesus asked who touched him. The woman "in fear and trembling," came forward and told him "the whole truth." Jesus spoke his word of comfort and healing to her, commending her faith and sending her away healed. It was the woman's faith which healed her. But it was Jesus's word of assurance that made her whole.

(JAG)

O Come, Divine Messiah