+Today’s Gospel reading is all about profound, courageous, and audacious faith. And I think it teaches us a lot.
We have one of the leaders of the synagogue, Jairus (JAIRUS)—-a member of the establishment, someone whose whole career could be ruined if seen engaging with Jesus—asking…pleading…begging Jesus for help. “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.”
With that sentence Jairus has made it clear: he believes that Jesus has the ability to heal his daughter.
Jairus shows an amazing faith.
As does the “Woman with a Hemorrhage.”
Now just a little bit about names here—-the man in the story—is named —Jairus—- but the woman, she doesn’t get a name, she gets a label—the “Woman with the Hemorrhage.” Sometimes the Bible frustrates me.
Regardless, “the Woman” is another hero of this Gospel…she broke so many traditions with her actions it’s easy to lose track. First, she was bleeding—she’d had an out of control period for 12 years—and in the Jewish faith, a bleeding woman was considered “unclean,” therefore she couldn’t be out in the crowd. She needed to be sheltered, separated, secluded. But…this Woman, this woman? She was desperate.
And she was faithful... “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.”
She had enough faith to risk being stoned to death for violating a number of Jewish laws about purity and propriety.
Her faith was so strong that when she touched the hem of Jesus’ robe, Jesus actually felt power go out from him. It gives me chills every time I read it—how much faith must one have for it to deplete Jesus of his energy?!?
This woman was also brave…in response to the question, “who touched my robe,” ‘[she] knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.”
As an unaccompanied woman, she could have disappeared into the crowd, no one would pay her any mind…and yet…she spoke up. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that she was brave. After all, true, deep faith requires a huge amount of bravery.
That’s what I always think when we recite the baptismal covenant—how much Christianity expects of us, how risky it can be….
“Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers”—in other words, go out and spread the gospel, telling people the truth they may not want to hear, and then come back and be in fellowship with one another at church. (It’s possible that some days being in fellowship with folks at church may be the toughest part!)
“Will you persevere in resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?”
This is really tough…we have to admit our mistakes, make amendment of life and return to God. This isn’t just saying you’re sorry, this is making it right...there are so many ways this is difficult and risky because when we’ve hurt others, when we’ve done wrong, trying to make it right may be met with hostility. Our corrective action may not be accepted.
“Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?”
We have to speak the word and we have to live it. Out in public, in front of people who may not agree with us!
And then the final two promises, by far the toughest—
“Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?”
Now remember Jesus’ answer to—-“who is my neighbor?” Everybody, even those with whom we disagree, those we don’t like, those who cause us fear…these are our neighbors.
“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
Striving for justice means speaking out against injustice, about demanding that justice is served always and forever.
Peace. This means where there is strife, where there is intolerance, where there is violence we must stand up, we must speak out and we may never ever rest until this work is complete.
Finally, when we know a human being isn’t being treated with dignity—you know when someone is dismissed, abused, hated because of the country of their origin, the color of their skin, the name of their God, the gender of their beloved, the actions of their immigrant parents——we must DO SOMETHING, DO ANYTHING to make sure that dignity—-a God-given right for all of God’s beloved children—is afforded to everyone. Everywhere. Always.
Whenever we recite these promises, as I stand in front of a congregation I wonder, “do they really know what they’re promising ? The risk they’re taking?”
Jairus and the Woman with the Hemorrhage risked everything because they were desperate beyond all measure and they BELIEVED beyond all measure that Jesus could help them, heal them, restore them.
So the question for today, the question for everyday is this—-
Are we desperate enough to live this faith?
Are we brave enough to live this faith?
Are we willing to risk everything for this faith?
Are we willing to be Jairus? Are we willing to be the Woman?
In this week of celebrating our democracy, can we be the Church of the Faithful and the Home of the Brave?
I sure hope so. Amen.
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