Thirteenth Sunday Ordinary

Thirteenth Sunday Ordinary
July 2, 2006

"God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome.." (Wisdom 1: 13-15) “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” (Mark 5: 21-43)

The book of Wisdom expresses delight at the goodness and beneficence of the Most High and the wholesomeness of creation. Remarkably, this idea that Divine Wisdom is a God of life and creativity, rather than death and destruction, is difficult for us to take at face value. We seem to want to project on to God our disappointments about how life turns out and our aggression toward those who may have hurt us or provoked our anger. How would things be different if we actually took this passage literally, and saw all of creation as wholesome?

The gospel passage presents stories of Jesus touching and being touched. He is going to lay hands on the dying daughter of a religious official. On the way a woman who has been hemorrhaging uncontrollably touches his cloak. Obviously desperate, she would have been considered unclean and untouchable and not permitted to approach Jesus directly to ask for help. She would have to be healed before asking! She chooses an approach that would not compromise Jesus' adherence to the law by asking him to touch her. He is not even aware of her touch until he feels something "go out" of him. She is terrified when he calls to her but he recognizes her great faith. Imagine the trust this required, that she would be OK without him even needing to know about it. As usual his chosen disciples, those closest to him, are the last ones to figure out what is going on.

The story reminds me again of the power of touching and being touched.
I wonder if we give enough consideration to this power to hurt and heal, to alienate and unite. Touch can bring life or death. God's touch brings only life. I am the fortunate recipient of touches from the moment I awaken until I go to sleep. These touches include those which quite literally keep me alive and well, and those which have no other purpose other than to express love and affection. There is no clear division between the two. I feel something very powerful go into my body and soul and return to the other person each time this happens. (I wonder if this was part of Jesus' experience when he felt the woman touch him.) Often I am not even aware of it until I think about it later. I am sure this touch accounts for the fact that I have lived this long. If this is true of human touch, how much more of the divine which it mediates. Others are waiting patiently for us to reach for them in ways that heal, and for the presence of God.