When the woman with the hemorrhage dug her way through the crowd to reach Jesus, she had one goal in mind; to be cured from the illness that has denied her a normal life. Apparently, she had sought a cure that was available to her; she spent a fortune on countless visits to her primary care-giver and specialists; she underwent painful tests, yet a cure was far from near (Mark 5:26). Her insurance probably couldn’t cover all her medical expenses; if she was out of a job because of her illness, then she equally lost any form of insurance coverage. This woman was, as a matter of fact, in the throes of trauma and helplessness, as the illness dug a hole into her life. But she didn’t stop fighting the illness that was fighting her to death. She didn’t give in to hopelessness and despair.
She heard about Jesus, whose healing powers were revolutionary; he was a different kind of healer whose power to cure diseases made daily news around town (Mark 5:27). She sought after Jesus because she was determined to defeat this illness; she wanted her life back and she was not about to concede defeat to the hemorrhage. Determined to find a cure for her illness, she went to Jesus. In spite of the physical toll she suffered from the illness, she mustered unbelievable strength and made her way straight to Jesus through the thickening crowd building around Him and touched his garment. Listen to what she said: “if I but touch his cloths, I will be made well” (Mark 5:28). This woman knew of disappointment from physicians who used all the medicine at their disposal to provide a cure, but to no avail. Who would believe that to touch a mere garment would cure her? Indeed she was cured by her faith and courage in the face of adversity, which did not wane. She held on to faith when everything else failed.
August 21st – 29th is the time for the Healing Novena at the National Shrine of St. Jude. It’s a novena for those who are hurting; it’s a novena for those who are in pain and distress. It’s a novena for all of us, so join us in prayer through St. Jude to God so that our faith will stay strong and the grace of God will renew us. We should stay strong for each other. Jesus stayed strong for Jairus, encouraging him to believe that his daughter would live (Mark 5:36). This is because misfortune can break us into shreds; but our faith can hold us together in times of adversity.
Many of us today know adversity: the young mother waiting to take her baby home for the first time since his birth with a heart anomaly; the single mother battling breast cancer; the young husband and father waiting for a transplant; the high school senior depressed out of her young mind by her family feud and division; the husband and father fighting to kick off his addictive habits to alcohol; the siblings searching for a means to end their painful and traumatic feud. Whatever your challenges; whatever your struggle, God beckons on you to come be renewed. The woman with hemorrhage is an example of faith that heals. Do not let the hard times we face deny us the grace of God and our trust in God’s power to heal, comfort and refresh us. When everything on our path towards healing fails, God stands with us on our path to renew us like the hemorrhage woman was healed. Trust in God and be strong in faith.
Father Ferdinand Okorie, C.M.F.
National Shrine of St. Jude
Chicago, Illinois
st jude please interceed for me and my children, that the lord will touch my husbands heart and break those chains that bind him and return him home to us and that he will stop the divorce proceedings in jesus name we pray amen
Surely in Jesus time people didn’t have health care insurance? I don’t believe in adding to what the Bible says or distorting it. This has made me doubt your site.
I’m reaching out to everyone who reads this for prayer…my husband, Marty, has been diagnosed with ALS, a degenerative nueromuscular disease. it is fatal. there is no cure. it affects a high percentage of veterans. He served in VietNam and Desert Storm and now this. He is a good, kind and humble man. Please pray to St. Jude and all the saints to intercede to Our Lord, Our God for healing. St Jude, come to his rescue. Lay your loving hands on him and heal him of this dreaded disease. In His name, I ask for prayer.
girldoll – you are never alone babe. Life can be almost impossible but thank God Christ and his Angels and Saints are always there to turn to for help and support. Seems you are surrounded by Love which is wonerful and I pray you receive the healing and peace you need. God Bless you all.
girldoll—never give up—with Jesus in our lives it is all we need—however distressed and desperate we become—there is still that moment when we realize that God is there and he knows and he will heal….
This story of the woman with the issue of blood is my testimony…when I found Jesus, I was healed totally. This was in 1978. It is 2010 and my journey went from fire to a spark and I am very distraught. Jesus anointed me with many gifts and also with those gifts came much pain, sorrow and tears in every area of our lives. From our faith trying to be discouraged to our children coming near death and now it is going onto my grandchildren. Jesus blessed us abundantly in 1978 and we lost everything. St. Jude, you are the saint of hopeless cases…my case is hopeless except for Divine Intervention. Jesus You know my heart and the hearts of my children and how they have suffered. You gave me a wonderful husband and father that is also suffering from burn out. We need to be totally healed and I believe You are the same today as you were then. Please heal us, spiritually, financially, physically …bring deliverance and peace to our family. As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.
Please keep this private.