, we encounter the story of the haemorrhaging woman who, for 12 long years, suffered physically from her affliction, emotionally from isolation, and spiritually from believing she was unworthy.){kind=link}
“Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; for I noticed that power has gone out from me.’” (Luke 8:46)
In the Gospel of St Luke (8:43-48), we encounter the story of the haemorrhaging woman who, for 12 long years, suffered physically from her affliction, emotionally from isolation, and spiritually from believing she was unworthy.
According to Jewish law, her continuous bleeding rendered her ritually unclean (Lev 15:25-27), forcing her into a life of separation from her community and family. She was forbidden from touching others, as doing so would have been considered sinful.
How often did she struggle in silence, asking, “Why me? What have I done to deserve this? Does anyone even notice my pain?”
She had exhausted her entire fortune on physicians, desperately seeking a cure, but none could heal her. Where will she turn, and who would restore her dignity?
She hears about Jesus, and something stirs within her—a spark of hope (Mk 5:27). In her darkest moments, she does not give up.
Instead, with courage and hope, she reaches out and touches the fringe of Jesus’ garment: “If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well” (Mk 5:28, Mt 9:21). Immediately, she is healed as Jesus declares, “I perceive that power has gone forth from me” (Lk 8:46).
Like the haemorrhaging woman, we often carry many wounds: physical, emotional and spiritual, that weigh us down.
We struggle to share the pains, shame and burdens, fearing judgment and rejection by others. The enemy convinces us to stay in the shadows because our sins are too great, and our hearts are far away.
And so, we retreat in the shadows, longing for help, peace and comfort, but we do not know how to find it. Yet, in the depths of our struggles, the Lord sees us. He notices our silent wounds, cries for help and restless hearts.
He is gentle and patient, waiting for us to reach out to him. His love is not distant. How do we encounter this healing power today? It is through the life of the sacraments.
The sacraments (or mysteries in the Eastern Churches) are described as “powers that come forth from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving” (CCC 1116). They are our way of touching the Body of Christ, where his healing power flows into our bodies and souls.
In the sacrament of confession, we can discover the living Christ who heals, transforms, and draws us back into communion with him.
When we come to our Lord with faith, humility, and surrender, he does not meet us with condemnation but with love, mercy, and compassion. This is the gift of confession, a sacred channel of grace that flows from Jesus’s merciful heart. It is where Jesus’ power and grace enter the brokenness of our souls, lifting us with his merciful gaze and restoring us with his boundless love.
The sacraments are our hope: no matter how long we have suffered or how distant we may feel, Jesus’ power is always ready to renew us. Our Lord reminds us that he desires “mercy, not sacrifice”, for he “came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mt 9:13). Jesus does not wait for us to be perfect; rather, he calls us as we are.
The haemorrhaging woman is a story of hope that does not give up even after years of suffering. The story teaches us that healing begins when we reach out to Christ in faith. If we reach out in faith, he will respond with mercy, saying: Daughter or Son, “Your faith has made you well; go in peace.” (Lk 8:48).
During this Year of Hope, may we draw and trust in Jesus’ power that can heal, restore and renew us. May we reach out to Jesus even when we feel unworthy, lost or confused. May we have the courage to reach Christ’s heart, even with the little we have, like our life depends on it.
Subdeacon Charbel Mourani is Director of the Maronite Catholic Centre for Evangelisation, Maronite Eparchy of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania.