There is a lot going on today in the Gospel lessons for the fifth of Pentecost.
We have Jesus and the disciples crossing over the sea again! And they meet the leader of the temple in the place they have landed. A Jew of high standing who is in charge of the Temple. He says that his daughter is dying. As Jesus the the disciples follow this man to his house, a large crowd gathers around and everyone is pressing in on Jesus and the group. Then a woman comes and touches the hem of his robe. And in one of the funnier moments in the gospels, Jesus says, “Who touched me.” And the recorded answer is not the smart answer I would have given if I had been a disciple. “Who didn’t touch you! If you didn’t notice Jesus we are just a little crowded here…” But Jesus knew. And so did the woman. Then she confesses, because she knows if she is found out even though she has been healed after suffering for 12 years that she will be stoned or punished in some fashion, because she is a woman in the square without a man, and moving in amoungest the gathering of the ruler of the Temple. Bad news for her, but Jesus says “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Your faith has made you well and be healed. These are 2 different things. Be made well and be healed, or be saved. They are different things indeed!
Then Jesus makes it the house of the ruler of the Temple and those gather say it is too late, the daughter is dead. Jesus says she is sleeping and goes in with the 3 and the mother and father and wakes her up. And it says in the text she was 12 years old. I always found this an odd sentence to include. But a friend of mine pointed out that the woman suffered with the disease for 12 years, and the little girl is 12 years old, there are 12 tribes and 12 disciples… What is the number play going on here?
12 years is important in the text. These stories are meant to lead us to or point us to the messiah to Jesus and the wonderful things He did, and will do for us! You see these stories are our stories. the Bible is your story and my story. It helps us understand who God is in this world that sometimes doesn’t want to know him, but we have a story to share, so go and share it!
aSacredRebel 