The Revised Common Lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:

First Reading: 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Psalm 130
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Gospel Reading: Mark 5:21-43

The liturgical color for the day is: Green

It was in fear and trembling that she came and knelt down before him.  One might wonder if she would have been tempted to run and hide at that point.  It would have been a whole lot easier for her to bolt than own up to her actions.  She does not run or hide.  She comes forward.

When she does come forward—Jesus lifts her up and proclaims, “Woman it is your faith that has made you well.”  There is this connection that Jesus wants her, and the crowd, and those of us reading and participating in this story through the centuries to see—we are to see that it is the connection between the woman and God’s realm in her life (call it the Kingdom of God or the presence of God) that is the source of healing.

That woman had been labeled unclean because of her disease.  She could have settled into that label and just been stuck with that as her lot in life.  But we know that she pushed against it.  We know that not only had she spent all she had to seek a cure, but when Jesus comes near, she does not let the public label of “unclean” keep her from pushing through the crowd.

Whatever label you/I/we have imposed—whether it is from the world or your own doing—whatever label that is being used to hold you back…  Push through that.  You are more than any label that you impose or have imposed on you.

In the church and as the church, we have labeled ourselves as “dying,” “shrinking,” and “small getting smaller.”  What if, those labels alone are preventing us from having the vision to reach out to touch Christ who has vision yet-to-be fulfilled for the church?  What if we were not afraid to step out, reach out, and touch? 

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Rev. Dr. Daris Bultena
General Presbyter and Stated Clerk