Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (5: 21-43) in which Jesus heals Jairus’ daughter. While Jesus was walking towards Jairus’ daughter, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touched Jesus’ cloak and was healed through her faith in Him.

Fr Paul explains that Mark in this Gospel uses the technique of the ‘sandwich’. This is where Mark starts off the story with the young girl, but sandwiched in between the beginning and the conclusion we hear of the older woman with the haemorrhage and this is to emphasise their significance.

Fr Paul says that the significance of this Gospel is that both the people receiving God’s healing love were women. Only a minority of Jesus’ healing that are recorded concern women, so bringing these two incidents into one with the young girl and the older woman tell us how important women are to Jesus.

Fr Paul notes that often a mother’s devotion is used as an image of God’s love in the Bible. We look at Jesus’ own relationships with women and they seem to have been easy and humorous at times. Fr Paul explains, there were always women supporting Him, listening to Him, and being part of the discipleship group.

Mindful of this Gospel today, Fr Pauls says there could be two things we can reflect on.

Firstly, we might ask ourselves what needs healing in my life at the moment and ask for the healing touch of Jesus to be part of our lives.Secondly, we might reflect on the women who have been significant in our lives and take this opportunity to pray that God blesses those women who have been an important part of our journey.