Last Sunday Bishop Jeremy Ashton was our celebrant and preacher, capturing everyone’s attention by referring to the ‘sandwich’ miracles of Jesus. The gospel reading from Mark 5 : 21-43 tells of the faith of two very different people.
Firstly, a leader of the synagogue begged Jesus to save his daughter, who was twelve years old and at the point of death. At the same time, a woman who had suffered bleeding for twelve years was among the crowd following Jesus to the man’s home. In Jesus ’ time, women were ritually unclean and isolated from society until purified, so this sad woman had been shunned for twelve years, despite spending all she had on physicians. She believed if she could just touch Jesus’ cloak she would be healed.
Despite the crowd pressing around him, Jesus felt power going forth from him and asked “ Who touched me ?” The woman, falling down before him knew immediately she had been healed. Jesus said “ Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your disease.”
Finally another crowd of ritual mourners came to meet the official , telling him his daughter was dead, so not to trouble the “ Teacher.” Jesus was not put off by the commotion of loud wailing and weeping, instead took three disciples, Peter, James and John, and the girl’s parents, into the child’s room, took her hand and said “ Little girl, get up.” She immediately did so and began to walk about. He told the parents to give her something to eat.
We were reminded that Jesus ate fish with those same disciples after his own death and resurrection.