The hemorrhaging woman, Jesus, and the Eucharist

At one point I was struggling with something and I thought "If only I could be like the woman in the Bible who reached out and touched Jesus and was healed..."

"...there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, 'If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.' and immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease...And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.'" Mark 5:25-29, 34 (RSV)

First of all to have her faith would be amazing...believing that if I touched the clothes of Christ I would finally be healed. Think about it. SHE HAS BEEN BLEEDING FOR 12 YEARS...12 YEARS! And she believes that by touching this man's clothes, the healing that years of expensive medical visits could not grant her, could finally be received.

Just by touching His clothes

WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTT What a crazy leap of faith that must have been, and she had to push through the crowds to do it. I can only imagine she was in immense pain...and yet, to her, it was worth it...and oh was it worth it!

Second, sometimes I long for Jesus to be here. Like oh to be that woman, to be able to find Jesus and touch His clothes. To be able to be HEALED by Him. Can you imagine? What times!

And then I think a little harder...and I pray a little harder...and I think...well God is here now...in many ways.... Jesus is present in the Eucharist....in my own body...

OH MY GOODNESS!

Ok, self, you mean to tell me that more than touching His clothing, I actually become a tabernacle and hold the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ within me?!?!?!?!

I mean, yes. As a Catholic, I believe that the consecrated Eucharist really is Jesus. I believe that He is available to me physically in the Eucharist every day. I do more than touch His clothes....I see Him and touch Him, and hold Him within me every time I go to mass.

What a beautiful thing! To have Jesus physically present in the Eucharist. What a wonder, what a miracle! Yet, we take Him for granted. We go through the motions; stick out your hands, say Amen, consume the flat bread, walk back to your seat....did you even just think about what you did?

You said yes, Lord, I believe that this is really You when you say amen. You become a tabernacle containing Jesus in His body, blood, soul, and divinity. You grow in unity with the universal Church because we "are one body, one body in Christ, and we do not stand alone."

I've been trying to think of a conclusion for this post...but how can there be a conclusion for something so great? Go to church, receive Him, rejoice!