The essential need for being touched was so much denied during the months of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2019-2021. Fear, and health protocols, dampened the instantaneous hand shakes and hugs upon seeing old friends. Simply being near sick or dying relatives was severely hindered or prevented by those protocols. Although I appreciate, and respect, the gestures for the health of all individuals, Zoom images, fist and elbow bumps conveyed little emotional feeling for me. When my own family is away from me, I surely miss seeing and hearing them, but mostly I miss being able to stroke their hair, squeeze a hand, or even feeling a cold foot in the night. Touch is the gentle assurance of our association to others and their connection to us.
Touching: The Human Significance of the Skin was written in 1971 by anthropologist, Ashley Montagu. This book details the importance of tactile experiences in healthy human development. The book covers every conceivable situation from the skin to skin contact of nursing a child to the longing for a gentle pat when confined to a nursing home. Humans need to touch, and be touched, in order to develop, to learn, and to thrive. Touch allows assessments of people derived by no other means.
Continuing his accounts of Jesus crisscrossing the Sea of Galilee spreading the news of the Kingdom of G_d, St. Mark relates two glimpses of Divine touch. Large crowds would gather as Jesus approached the shores of the lake. Pressing through one of these groups came a synagogue official named Jairus, whose young daughter was terribly ill. Jairus was very distraught. He had done all that he could to help his daughter to get well, and was in fear of losing his her. From his knees Jarius implores the Teacher to come and cure his child. Jesus and the crowd follow Jairus towards his house.
Within this close, jostling crowd was another desperate person, a woman praying, that if only she can get close enough to Jesus to simply touch his clothes that she will be healed. Despite seeking all the medical help available to her, this poor woman was suffering from a hemorrhage that had continued for twelve years.
While the Jews were very focused on the Levitical laws regarding clean and unclean things, and conditions, Jesus was not. Any issue of blood was definitely in the unclean realm. Whether blood came from a menstrual cycle or in this case a hemorrhage, the law required a ritual cleansing after the blood flow stopped, and a seven day waiting period before anyone could touch the person, lest they too, become unclean. It is likely that no one had intentionally touched this woman for over a decade. Her faith and belief in Jesus' ability to heal caused immense power to rush from Him, when she got close enough to fulfill her mission.
Jesus felt this rush and asked the disciples, who touched him. The twelve were being pushed and prodded from every side, and wondered how their teacher could ask such a silly question, as it was obvious to them that everybody was clamoring to touch him.
Jesus stopped the trek to Jairus' house to look for the person, who drew out G_d's power. The woman, knowing that she was well, was also fearful that she had violated Jesus. She came forward and fell to the ground at his feet. Jesus honored her faith and sent her away healed. Then that same moment, messengers came to Jairus bearing the news that his daughter had died. Jesus said, "Do not fear, only believe."
When they arrived at the home a crowd of mourners had gathered. Jesus told them there was no reason for their mourning, as the child was only sleeping. This made the crowd laugh at Jesus. Leaving the doubters outside, he took the young girl's parents and the disciples into the house to the little girl. Touching a dead body, like touching someone bleeding, would also make a person unclean under the laws in Leviticus, but this did not deter Jesus. He, reaching out with the holy power of touch, takes her hand, and bids her rise. The twelve year old immediately got up to a new life of human touch, and touching humans.
We likely have not reached that state of grace where we can restore life to the dead, but through our loving gentle touching of those we love, and touching those whom we may not think deserve our attention, we can assure some joy to the living. Even if all earthly hope has been exhausted, through our touch we can become messengers of G_d's healing presence.
Pax,
jbt
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