the touch
" 'If I just touch His clothing,' she thought, 'I shall get well.' " —Mark 5:28
A woman who was hemorrhaging touched Jesus. According to Jewish law, this made Jesus unclean (cf Lv 15:25, 27). Instead, His touch made the woman healed and whole (Mk 5:29ff). Touching Jesus is unlike touching anyone else in the world.
Jesus reached out to touch and take the hand of a dead, twelve-year-old girl (Mk 5:41). According to Jewish law, this made Jesus unclean (see Nm 19:11). Instead, Jesus' touch raised the girl from the dead (Mk 5:42). No one else's touch can raise the dead.
Do you want to touch Jesus and be touched by Him? You can be touched by Jesus through the members of His body, the Church. You can touch Jesus in the Sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ. Get in touch with Jesus by loving His Church (Eph 5:25) and receiving Him in Holy Communion. In touch with Him, you are in touch with life, love, hope, peace, freedom, joy, purity, and victory. In touch with Jesus, you are in touch with healing and resurrection. You are in touch with God.
Prayer: Jesus, touch me, and "O, what joy shall fill my soul."
Promise: "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, Who inspires and perfects our faith." —Heb 12:2
Praise: St. Blase, who is invoked for healing of throats, allowed his own throat to be severed as he was beheaded for his faith in Jesus.
Reference: (For related teaching, order our booklet, Healing: The Imitation of Christ.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 25, 2014
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.