PASTOR’S CORNER, Rev. Jason Toombs, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Liberal
Our reading for this coming Sunday is Mark 5:21-43: 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Also, 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him.
But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was 12 years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
First the woman. She who had a flow of blood for 12 years, who had been to countless physicians before, had heard the reports about Jesus. Thinking to herself, He has healed others … and she said, “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.” This is faith, for Jesus even says so as she fell down before Him, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Would that we could do likewise in our day. Cancer would disappear with simply a touch of a pastor’s stole or alb. Arthritis pain and other joint pain would be relieved with simply a garment from a saintly person, such as St. Peter or St. Paul. Heartache over the death of a loved one could be eased with a pastor prostrating himself over the dead or simply telling the dead to arise and they would be restored back to life and handed back over to their loved ones.
But we don’t see this happening in our day. Cancer, pain, and death still run rampant. This has been since sin entered the cosmos. Sin brought death into the world and death brought pain and suffering along with it. And if by simply touching an alb, a relic of a saint, or anything else would heal someone, faith would be found in something other than Jesus. Let’s look at the woman who said to herself, “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.”
It is said that faith has an object. Some would claim that the object of this woman’s faith was in the clothing that Jesus was wearing. But that is not the case. Her faith was founded on Jesus. She knew that He had healed others, so she wishes to just touch His garment and she would be made whole again. Jesus was the object of her faith. And Jesus needs to be the object of your faith as well.
We turn to the second healing in our lesson, Jesus healing the dead girl. The woman with the flow of blood interrupted the narrative of Jesus and Jairus. Jairus’ daughter was sick to the point of death and this synagogue ruler knew that Jesus could heal her for his faith was shown in the words that he chose, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”
So Jesus goes with Jairus and along the way the woman with the flow of blood intervened, but Jesus would not be kept away. He had made up His mind to heal the little girl. But while He was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But Jesus said, “Do not fear, only believe.” Jesus knew that this man’s faith might waiver, that is why He said this to the man.
Going into the house, Jesus was sure to hear moaning, weeping, and wailing. But He said, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at Him. They laughed like we might, not because of something silly but because He said something that defied all reason.
But Jesus words were true, no matter what they thought about His words. She was merely sleeping. That’s what death is for God, someone simply falling asleep and resting comfortably in Him and in His peace.
To prove that His words were true, Jesus put the naysayers outside and went with the father, the mother, and the three disciples to the girl’s side. Jesus did what any good Jewish teacher should not do, He touched the dead.
He is the only clean thing and whatever He touches is made clean by His touch. Death left the girl, she woke up from her sleep when Jesus took her hand and spoke to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”
This is what Jesus will do for you when He comes again. He will raise the dead and bring eternal life to pass at His touch.
