Word to the Wise
Monday, July 8, 2019 - Monday in the 14th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 28:10-22a and Matt 9:18-26]A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured. [Matthew]
The Gospel According to Matthew is fond of pairs. Today's gospel passage is an example. The story of the woman with hemorrhages is inserted into the story of the girl being restored to life. However, it is the woman with the hemorrhages that captures my attention because of my own pastoral experience with "tassel touchers."
During a Sunday Mass one day when I was a pastor in San Antonio, I was on "pastor patrol" and I found some boys sitting in the vestibule of the church acting pretty much like boys will do and I invited them to join the rest of the congregation, which they grudgingly did. I turned around and saw a lady standing there with a gentleman. I asked if they would care to go inside since there was plenty of seating. The lady responded that they would prefer to stand in the vestibule. I replied, "But the church is gathered inside!" And she replied, "The church is gathered out here, too!" That shut me up for good. The vestibule was as far as she and her companion could come. They were reaching for the tassel of the cloak. From that day forward, I made it a personal policy not to ask anyone to change seats in the church. If they want to stand in the vestibule or sit in the last pew, that's OK with me. That may be as close as their faith will permit. It was enough for the lady in the gospel to receive healing and (eventually) teach me a lesson about faith. Jesus responds to all kinds of faith and the tassel touchers are at every Mass! AMEN