MARK 05:25-34
THE HEALING OF THE WOMAN WITH A HEMORRHAGE
Text – Mark 5:25–34
25 There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
26 She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
27 She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.
28 She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
29 Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
30 Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”
31 But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
32 And he looked around to see who had done it.
33 The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
Historical and Jewish Context
For twelve years, the woman suffered from chronic bleeding, which, according to Leviticus 15:25–27, made her ritually unclean. Her condition excluded her from worship, community life, and even physical contact with others. Her approach to Jesus through the crowd defied social and religious boundaries—anyone she touched would become unclean. Yet her desperate faith drove her to reach out for healing. The number twelve, shared with Jairus’s daughter, links her suffering to Israel’s spiritual need: both stories together symbolize Jesus restoring life to God’s people. The woman’s belief that touching even the hem of His garment could heal her reflects the Jewish reverence for the tassels (tzitzit) worn on garments as reminders of God’s commandments (Numbers 15:37–41). Her act of faith was not superstition but a profound recognition of Jesus’ divine authority and holiness.
Catholic Theological Perspective
In Catholic theology, this miracle embodies the power of faith, grace, and personal encounter with Christ. Jesus’ power is not magical—it is personal and relational. The woman’s healing occurs not through touch alone, but through faith-filled contact with the living God. Her twelve years of suffering, human helplessness, and exclusion mirror humanity’s condition under sin—separated, weakened, and searching for salvation. By calling her “Daughter,” Jesus restores her not only to health but also to belonging, affirming her dignity and inclusion in God’s family.
Theologically, this miracle prefigures the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and the Anointing of the Sick. In both, believers touch Christ with faith and receive healing of body and soul. Jesus’ awareness that “power went out from Him” shows His divine compassion and the personal nature of grace—God responds to individual faith. Her public confession of faith transforms private healing into a testimony of salvation: “Your faith has saved you.”
Parallels in Scripture
Leviticus 15:25–27 – Law concerning women with chronic bleeding.
Malachi 4:2 – “The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.”
Matthew 9:20–22 – Parallel account of the woman’s healing.
Luke 8:43–48 – Jesus affirms, “Your faith has made you well.”
John 20:27 – Jesus invites Thomas to touch His wounds and believe.
Key Terms
Hemorrhage: A physical ailment symbolizing spiritual affliction and separation.
Touched: Represents faith’s daring approach to divine grace.
Power (Greek: dynamis): The divine energy of God’s healing love.
Daughter: A title of restored dignity, intimacy, and belonging in God’s family.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This Gospel is read in contexts emphasizing healing, reconciliation, and personal faith. It highlights the importance of approaching Christ with confidence and humility, especially in the sacraments. The Church, like Jesus, welcomes all who come in faith seeking mercy and renewal. The woman’s example encourages believers to persist in prayer and to reach out to Christ, trusting that even the smallest act of faith can draw His grace.
Conclusion
The healing of the woman with the hemorrhage reveals that no suffering is beyond the reach of Christ’s mercy. Her faith broke through fear, and her touch became a moment of divine encounter. Jesus transformed isolation into communion, despair into peace, and physical healing into spiritual salvation.
Reflection
Do I reach out to Jesus in faith when I feel helpless or unworthy? The Lord invites me to come as I am, believing that even a simple act of trust can open the way to His healing grace.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You healed the woman who reached out to You in faith. Heal the wounds within me—those of body, mind, and spirit. Strengthen my trust in Your power and love. Help me to live as Your child, renewed by grace and at peace in Your mercy. Amen.