Daily Gospel Reflection for July 8, 2019

Today's Gospel: Matthew 9:18-26 “Your faith has made you well.” Imagine being on your period non-stop for twelve years. How frustrating and exhausting that must have been. On top of that, in Jesus’ time blood was considered unclean so when the women were on their periods they were to keep themselves quarantined. So it’s no wonder this woman was desperate to find a solution to her condition. It also explains why she stayed at a distance, and merely touched the back hem of his garment. Jesus recognized that power had flowed out of Him at that moment of her touch. He also knew her frustration and desperation fueled her faith in trying, however obscurely, to be healed by Him. In loving compassion Jesus healed her affliction immediately, and rewarded her faith in front of the large crowd. She may have been embarrassed by the sudden attention, but more than likely she was so excited to be done with the bleeding she didn’t care. God rewarded her faith in an amazing, miraculous way. He also rewards our faith with answered prayers, caring friends to be shoulders to lean on, money or supplies just in time, and sunshine on a big wedding day. He hears our prayers and wants us to let go of our concerns at the foot of the cross as soon as we say them. He wants us to trust in His Providence with unrelenting faith, like the bleeding woman. Part of this trust also means accepting that God doesn’t always answer our prayers as soon as we wish or in the exact manner we expect. Yet just the fact that we ask and then say “Thank You” in total faith that God hears us and will respond -- this is what He wants from us.