This Is What It Looks Like Practically

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. Matthew 9:20-22

Practically, in the days of Jesus, this is what it looked like to face down your temptation and to embrace your own belovedness. This woman, full of courage and determination, pushed her way through the crowed to get to Jesus… and she was healed. 

Jesus responds by doing the preposterous: calling her “daughter” and praising her faith. Not once in the book of Matthew does Jesus praise the faith of his best disciples like he does with this woman, nor does he ever call them “sons.” But this woman has faced down her false self, overcoming all those voices in her society and in her own head that told he she was ‘damaged goods’ or ‘not important enough for the teacher’, etc. And Jesus adds his blessing to her. You can hear the echoes of what the Father said to Jesus at the baptism in his blessing of this woman, can’t you? See if you can hear them for yourself. 

My son/daughter, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.

Hold that image in your heart as you pray through the silent reflection for the week from Psalm 46:

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know 

Be still

Be