The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. John Bosco, priest

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30--19:3
Psalm 86:1-6
Mark 5:21-43

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Today's Gospel about the woman who was "afflicted with a hemorrhage for a dozen years" is one of my favorites. I don't mean to make or create any gender-related biases, but certainly the gospel illustrates at least for women, the horrible state of affairs that this poor woman was experiencing and how sensitive Jesus was to her problem. Even today in our current culture with all its many products to make normal (and even abnormal) uterine blood flow easier to deal with, women still don't find the whole process "pleasant."

Imagine, if you can, what it must have been like in ancient times when both normal and abnormal conditions arose, and add to it that women who were hemorrhaging were considered to be "unclean." Not only were there just physical inconveniences; there were cultural, religious and emotional ones as well. And not, mind you, as in the case of this woman, just for a few days every month, but continuously for twelve years!

Having painted that detailed description, perhaps uncharacteristic, for this forum, it becomes so clear to me how desperate this woman was and how immensely kind Jesus was to help her in her great distress.

May we remember this about Jesus and how much He cares about us and is eager to hear our cries for help.

Jesus comfort of the afflicted, have mercy on us!

- Donna Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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