There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhage for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realising what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

( Mark 5:25-29)

This passage on the Gospel of Mark brings us to our basic need of healing. All of us in one way or another had been wounded, scarred and hurt. Through the years we keep on bandaging, applying salve or ointment to let it heal. Then it slowly dries, scab formed, then just when we think we are healing,  the scab peels off, then fresh open wound again… then we are hurting all over again.

Life offers us joy as well as pain. When we get stuck at pain and cannot see a way out then we do not grow. Then we despair and like the woman with haemorrhage, we say “ if only we can….” Yes, if only we can stretch our hands and reach for Jesus then healing comes.

Healing is something we have to desire. Our faith sometimes is not strong enough to bring us to even wish it for ourselves. Groaning in pain for so long , we get used to it and overtime it is the only way we know how to live.

Our faith should give us hope, usher us to the road where Jesus will pass, and then amidst the crowd and noise, we sneaked from behind and “touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak”. Then “power will come out of Him” and we are healed.

Life may throw us overboard but trust that Jesus is there to catch us. We just have to believe…that He knows when power come out of Him. He knows…He listens..He gives.. He heals…

Let us take time to pause everyday, a minute or two, to breathe in the power of God and remind ourselves that we are always holding on to the hem of  Jesus cloak.. and we are being healed. Our wounds, whether physically, emotionally, psychologically, mentally or spiritually will be healed in His power and mercy.  Just hold on to Jesus and never let go…