雅依洛的女兒和患血漏病的女人
福音讀經
耶穌乘船渡回對岸，有大夥群眾聚集在他周圍；他遂留在海濱。那時，來了一個會堂長，名叫雅依洛，一見耶穌，就跪伏在他腳前，懇切求他說：「我的小女兒快要死了，請你來，給她覆手，叫她得救回生。」耶穌就同他去了。有一大群人跟隨著他，擁擠著他。那時，有一個婦人，患血漏已有十二年。她在許多醫生手裏，受了許多痛苦，化盡了自己所有的一切，不但沒有見效，反而病勢更加重了。她聽了有關耶穌的傳說，便來到人群中，從後邊摸了耶穌的衣裳，因為她心裏想：「我只要一摸他的衣裳，必然會好的。」她的血源立刻涸竭了，並且覺得身上的疾病也好了。耶穌立時覺得有一種能力從自己身上出去，就在人群中回過頭來說：「誰摸了我的衣裳？」他的門徒向他說：「你看！群眾四面擁擠著你，你還問：誰摸了我？」耶穌四周觀望，要看作這事的婦人。那婦人明知在自己身上所成的事，就戰戰兢兢地前來，跪伏在耶穌前，把實情完全告訴了他。耶穌便向他說：「女兒，你的信德救了你，平安去吧！你的疾病必得痊癒。」他還說話的時候，有人從會堂長家裏來，說：「你的女兒死了，你還來煩勞師傅做什麼？」耶穌聽見所說的話，就給會堂長說：「不要怕，只管信。」除伯多祿、雅各伯和雅各伯的弟弟若望外，他沒有讓任何人跟他去。他們到了會堂長的家裏，耶穌看見群眾非常喧噪：有的哭泣，有的哀號，便進去，給他們說：「你們為什麼喧噪哭泣呢？小女孩並沒有死，只是睡著了！」他們都譏笑他。他卻把眾人趕出去，帶著小女孩的父親和母親，以及同他在一起的人，進了小女孩所在的地方。他拿起小女孩的手，對她說：「塔里塔，古木！」意思是：「女孩子，我命你起來！」那女孩子就立刻起來行走，原來她已十二歲了；他們都驚訝得目瞪口呆。耶穌卻嚴厲命令他們，不要叫任何人知道這事；又吩咐給女孩子吃的。
馬爾谷福音 5:21-43
By Paolo Veronese (1528–1588)
這個眾所周知患血漏病的女人，不敢公然接近主耶穌，因為根據猶太人的法律，她是個不潔的人(肋15:25)，所以她只敢從後摸耶穌的衣裳。她的病立刻好了，但醫好她的並非是耶穌的衣裳，而是因為她的信德，因為她當時心裏想：「我只要一摸他的衣裳，必然會好的。」(谷5:28)
耶穌回過頭來尋找這摸祂衣裳的人，一方面想在眾人前讚揚她的信德，並消除她的恐懼；同時，也給會堂長信心，讓他相信祂能救活他的女兒。
這個患血漏病的女人，猶如犯了罪的人，在世上找不到能醫好自己的人，可是當她一接觸耶穌基督，她即因著信祂而得到治癒，亦即是罪的赦免和救恩。耶穌稱這女人為「女兒」，因為她願意相信；我們也能因著信德，被耶穌稱為天主的兒女。
（本文以英文為準）
Gospel Reading
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him and a large crowd followed him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, Who touched me?” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
This woman afflicted with hemorrhage, who was known to all, did not dare to approach the Savior openly, nor to come to Him, because, according to the law, she was unclean (Lev. 15:25); for this reason she touched Him behind, and not in front, for that she dare not do, but only ventured to touch the hem of His garment. It was not however the hem of the garment, but her frame of mind that made her whole. As it follows, "For she said, 'If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be whole.'" (Mark 5:28)
There follows, "And He looked round about to see her that had done this thing." For the Lord wished to declare the woman, first to give His approval to her faith, secondly to urge the chief of the synagogue to a confident hope that He could thus cure his child, and also to free the woman from fear. For the woman feared because she had stolen health; as it is said, "But the woman fearing and trembling, etc."
By the woman, who had a hemorrhage, one understands our human nature; for sin corrupted it, which since it killed the soul, might be said to spill its blood. It could not be cured by the wise men of this world, and of the Law and the Prophets; but the moment that it touched the hem of Christ's garment, that is, His flesh, it was healed, for whoever believes the Son of man to be God Incarnate is he who touches the hem of His garment. Jesus calls her 'daughter' because she was saved by her faith; for faith in Christ makes us His children.
參考 References:
Catena Aurea (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Homily 31 on the Gospel of Matthew (St. John Chrysostom)
Explanations on the New Testament (St. Theophylact of Ochrid)
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