Fr Ed Homily 7-6-20

A Touching Moment

It has been a warm three-day holiday. Or maybe some of you have today off instead of Friday. If so, enjoy the day! And if you are going back to work, no matter what that may be, hey, enjoy the day. Every day should be considered precious, especially if you woke up to read this. It is a way to reach out and touch the Lord by beginning your day with prayer. This past weekend if you were able to attend mass, you, too, had a touching moment. You received the Eucharist, the body and blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing can be more touching for by receiving the Eucharist, we are brought into the Body of Christ. We become the body of Christ.

In today’s gospel, the story of the woman reaching out to touch the tassel on the cloak of Jesus. We have little knowledge of what Jesus wore for clothing, but this little clue, a tassel, indicates he was wearing a cloak similar to what the Pharisees would have worn. The tassel was tied in such a way that it touched the ground with each step. A touching that was to remind all Jews of their relationship with God’s creation.

Another thought to ponder today. The number twelve. It is thought the young girl that died may have been at or about twelve years of age. The woman seeking healing had the hemorrhaging for twelve years. And today is the memorial for St Maria Goretti, a young girl who resisted a rape attempt at the age of twelve and was stabbed fourteen times but forgave her attacker before she died. Jesus touched the hand of the dead girl and she was given her life. The touch of a tassel restored an older woman’s health. The touch of St Maria toward her attacker eventually led him to seek conversion and forgiveness.

In a time where we are concerned about touching does not mean we stop touching. There are many ways to reach out and touch others. What will you do today?

May the Lord bless you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.