Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43

Sister Evangeline Salazar, OSB

Today,

We meet two women

One just entering

Her womanhood

The other,

Older than her years

For all

She had suffered.

The young one

Had her father to advocate

For her.

The other

Anonymous and shamed

By her condition

Caught between

The need to hide

And her drive to flourish.

Jesus

Touched

And touching

Whom did you touch today?

Were you touched by someone today?

COVID

365 days untouched,

Denied to touch

The people we love,

Denied to be touched,

By the people we love.

No handholding,

No handshaking,

No Hugging,

No kissing.

What was it like?

The emptiness,

The void,

The darkness,

Alone?

Who touched me?

Jesus asked

And looked around

To check out the crowd.

The nameless woman

Mingled with the crowd

Bleeding,

In pain,

Alone.

In faith

She thought,

She believed,

Touch Him,

Touch His garment,

His clothing,

I shall be cured,

And so it was.

A simple touch,

A simple act of faith,

And she was cured.

No more bleeding.

No more pain.

Just a simple act of faith.

Believe

And joy follows faith.

Whom will you touch today?

Will you allow yourself to be touched today?

A simple touch of your hand

Can wipe away the tears,

Heal a broken heart,

Free a tangled web.

Be love today

Touch,

Be touched.

Be faith.

Believe.

Be Jesus.