Holy Trinity Church, Westward Ho!

Reflections

Reflection from Rev Trevor Lloyd

Reflection for July 7th 2025

Today’s Gospel is Matthew 9. 18-26

While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, ‘My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.’ Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

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.

When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and the people playing pipes, he said, ‘Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region. (NIVUK)

Two seemingly random events, held together by the touch of Jesus. I believe we ignore the importance of touch in the process of healing and wholeness at our peril. Look how often it happens here. The synagogue leader clearly believes in it. For him it’s a matter of life and death - ‘come and put your hand on her and she will live’. The bleeding woman too puts her faith in touching Jesus. That something happened in that touch can be seen in another gospel by Jesus’ question ‘Who touched me?’ and the disciples incredulous response about everyone pressing around him. But he knew something powerful had happened among all those touches, and gets the woman to admit and express her belief. Another lesson for the disciples: he’d taken them along as part of their training, learning how to make the effect of the gospel explicit. How often does Jesus have to drag it out of us as we admit what he is doing in our lives? It’s the same when they get to the girl’s house. Ignore the noise and derision and disbelief. Focus on the person in need. That focus is physical in its effect as he takes her hand. And that effect goes regional and then global as the news – the good news – spreads. So let Jesus touch you, and watch and pray as the Spirit spreads that touch to others.

We pray for a world which so desperately needs the healing touch of Jesus, challenged and humbled by the fact that it’s often the hands of people like you and me that are the ones he uses.

God our saviour,
look on this wounded world
in pity and in power;
hold us fast to your promises of peace
won for us by your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.