A reading from the Holy Gospel according to the Apostle and Evangelist St. Luke (Luke 8:41-56).
"And behold, a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, begging Him to come to his house, because his only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying.
As Jesus went, the crowds pressed around Him. And a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years, who had spent all she had on physicians and could not be healed by anyone, approached Him from behind and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ When everyone denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the crowds are surrounding and pressing against You.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’ Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’
While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue leader and said, ‘Your daughter is dead; don’t trouble the Teacher any longer.’ But upon hearing this, Jesus replied, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.’ When He arrived at the house, He did not let anyone go in with Him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were weeping and mourning for her. Jesus said, ‘Do not weep; she is not dead, but asleep.’ They laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. But He took her by the hand and said loudly, ‘Child, get up!’ Her spirit returned, and she rose immediately. Then He ordered that she be given something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but He instructed them not to tell anyone what had happened."
Reflection.
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
On this 21st Sunday after Pentecost, the Lord invites us to reflect on the power of faith and divine mercy, which breaks down all barriers. In the Letter to the Galatians and the Gospel passage from Luke, we see how faith unites us to Christ and how an encounter with Him brings healing and renewal. St. Paul reminds us that we are not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Christ: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). This is a powerful declaration that revolutionizes our understanding of our relationship with God—not merely a formal observance of the law, but a personal encounter and union with Christ that transforms our hearts and lives.
In today’s Gospel, we encounter two intertwined stories that reveal the power of faith and the compassion of Jesus: the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage and the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter. Both miracles speak of a love without boundaries, inviting us to a radical trust and urging us not to fear, for in Christ and with Christ there is the fullness of life.
The first story concerns a woman who has been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years. According to Mosaic law, this condition rendered anyone affected by it impure, separating them from others and from worship (Leviticus 15:25-27). Anyone who touched an “impure” person would themselves become impure. This meant that by touching Jesus, the woman risked not only being rejected but even reprimanded for her boldness. Yet she believes that Christ’s love and power can overcome every human limitation and chooses to take a courageous step: she dares to approach Jesus and touches the edge of His cloak.
The Orthodox Church sees in this woman’s faith a luminous example of courage and hope. In her weakness, she finds the strength to seek Christ, defying both law and prejudice. Her action is, in the eyes of the Church Fathers, a pure act of faith that expresses a deep desire for communion with God and the certainty that in Him is the fullness of healing.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian states that “this woman saw in Jesus Christ not a man like others, but the very source of life. She did not just touch a cloak; she encountered God” (Commentary on the Gospel of Luke). For the Church, this woman represents every person who, though wounded by sin and suffering, finds the courage to approach God, confident that He rejects only welcomes all who seek Him with sincerity.
Dearest brothers and sisters, her story speaks deeply to us even today. We live in a society that, like the one back then, often imposes labels and judgments that isolate and wound. People marginalized due to illness, social conditions, or other differences still find themselves living on the fringes, suffering from loneliness. The faith of this woman is a message of hope for all who feel excluded.
The Orthodox Church invites us to recognize Christ in every marginalized, poor, or suffering person, and to overcome barriers of judgment and prejudice. Faith calls us to a concrete, all-encompassing love and to not fear contact with those considered “impure” by society. Reflecting on this passage, Saint John Chrysostom states: “Even if a person is marginalized because of their impurity, the Lord does not reject them. His love knows no barriers” (Homilies on the Gospel of Luke, Homily 28).
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, according to the tradition of the Orthodox Church, the woman with the hemorrhage, healed by Jesus after touching the edge of His cloak, and Veronica, who wiped the Lord’s face on the way to Calvary, are the same person. After experiencing physical and spiritual healing through her faith, this woman, also identified as Bernice, became a fervent follower of Christ. Years later, driven by the same love and devotion, she offered her veil to wipe the face of the Savior as He carried the cross. At that moment, the face of Christ was miraculously imprinted on the cloth, gifting her with the "True Icon" (Vera Icona). This act embodies the fullness of her faith and makes her a living witness to God’s love and compassion.
Returning to the Gospel of Luke, we see that shortly after, the Lord enters the house of Jairus, where his twelve-year-old daughter has just died. Jairus, in despair, had asked Jesus to come heal her, and despite the news of her death, Jesus tells him: “Do not fear, only believe” (Luke 8:50). These words are an invitation to complete trust in God, a faith that does not give up even in the face of death.
When Jesus enters the house, He declares that the girl “is not dead, but asleep,” and with a gesture of love and power, He raises her, returning her alive to her parents. Saint John Chrysostom observes that “with this resurrection, Christ not only demonstrates His power over death but reveals His love for each of us, capable of bringing us back to life” (Homilies on the Gospel of Luke, Homily 28). In this miracle, we see the hope Christ offers to all who believe in Him: a new and eternal life.
Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter to show us that, in God, there is no place for ultimate death, but only for full and abundant life. This miracle is not just an extraordinary event; it is an invitation to believe that eternal life is a reality for those who place their trust in Him. However, our faith cannot remain static; it must be nourished by the grace of the Holy Spirit, who sustains us in difficult times. Thus, even when we face tragedies or suffering, we do not lose hope, because we know that God is the Lord of life and can transform even death into victory.
These stories touch me deeply, as they represent what the Lord can do in each of our lives. I recall a moment in my ministry when a man came to confession, carrying a great sorrow and a burden that tormented him. After receiving God’s forgiveness, this man began to weep—a cry of liberation and hope, as if a weight had been lifted. Here too, as in the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter and the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage, Christ was present, healing and giving new life.
This experience made me understand that the Lord is always ready to heal and restore hope, even in the most wounded hearts. As the woman with the hemorrhage teaches us, God does not stop at our limitations and faults; He welcomes us as we are, transforming us with His love. The Church invites us to open our hearts without fear, to embrace those who are wounded, and to be a sign of divine mercy for them.
These two miracles teach us that faith can break down any barrier and that God’s love is stronger than any suffering or death. We live in a world that often isolates those who suffer and fears change. The faith of the woman with the hemorrhage and of Jairus invites us to seek God with trust, to believe that He is greater than our limitations, and to be instruments of hope, healing, and love. When we see someone afflicted, we can be, like Jesus, bearers of a word of comfort and a presence that brings hope.
May the Lord grant us to be authentic witnesses of His love, capable of seeing beyond appearances and embracing with compassion those who feel excluded or unworthy. May we be instruments of that mercy which knows no barriers, bringing to the world the hope and healing of Christ.
Amen.
Archpriest Michele Alberto Del Duca.
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