SAINT ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Your faith has saved you. 

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 9:18-26) presents us with two very different people with two very different problems. One is a synagogue official who was likely respected in his community. The other is a woman whose constant hemorrhaging made her an outcast. Yet the two had one thing in common: desperate, they believed that Jesus was their last resort.

Dig a little deeper and you’ll see there were actually several similarities. And those similarities can teach us about trusting Jesus.

First, both the official and the hemorrhaging woman approached Jesus in a posture of humility and faith. They both acknowledged his power and their dependence on him (Matthew 9:18, 20-21). They didn’t question if Jesus could help them—they knew he could and believed that all they needed was a simple physical connection with him. And they were right! Jesus was so moved by their trust that he came to their aid. This shows that when we reach out to Jesus in faith, he will meet us with his power and his presence.

Another similarity is how they both overcame the restrictions of their community. The woman seeking healing was not supposed to be in a crowd where she could come into contact with other people. So touching Jesus’ garment was a bold, rule-defying act. The official faced down a different sort of obstacle. Other devout Jews might have scorned him for turning to this untested upstart. So when people ridiculed Jesus for saying the girl was sleeping, the official might have felt his faith waver.

Jesus recognized the strong faith of these two miracle seekers, but he also recognized their doubts and fears. To the woman he offered words of comfort: “Courage, daughter!” (Matthew 9:22). In Mark’s version of the story, Jesus also encouraged the official, telling him to “not be afraid; just have faith” (5:36).

Jesus has the same words for you whenever you feel desperate. So hang on tightly to your faith! Jesus came to provide salvation and healing for everyone, the respected and the rejected. Believe in him, even when it seems impossible. He will come through in the end!

“Jesus, help me to build my trust in you.”

Genesis 28:10-22
Psalm 91:1-4, 14-15
Matthew 9:18-26

WORD AMONG US