St. Djan Darada Fellowship

Let me give credit where credit is due. Father Jeremiah Vollman, the priest at St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church near Seattle wrote an inspiring article (I guess it was a sermon) in the March-April 2024 issue of Word magazine, “What are You Plugged Into.” His text is taken from the story of the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:25-34 as this woman (St. Veronica, whose feast day is July 12th) suffered greatly and became more ill under the care of earthly doctors. Hearing the healer Jesus was in town, she knew she needed to see and touch Him, even just the hem of His robe. As she was so faithful to press through the onlooking crowd, she was healed to the point that Christ felt power leave Himself. She was discovered and told what had happened. The Lord acknowledged this outcast as a child of God, confirmed that her faith brought about this change, and gave her His peace.

I am a firm believer in having a disciplined prayer rule, a regular pattern of being in God’s presence. As an athlete, musician, or soldier has a time set aside for undistracted practice we Christians ought to do likewise every day to grow spiritually. Taking prayer lightly is a recipe for losing faith. Yet, this story of the suffering woman shows that something else should accompany, perhaps even inform the most disciplined rule. As we approach God in prayer, we need awareness of our issues to be cleansed, healed, and adopted. These three needs, if unhealed, drain our souls. No earthly entertainments, ideals, or substances can heal them despite what we waste on them. Only touching Christ in faith can give us a total healing of the bloody issues and we can reach out to Him in prayer.

No one goes through the day without a need for cleansing. We accumulate body odor, dead skin, and dirt just by going through a regular daily routine. A bath, shower, or a wash-up at the sink is how we manage these usual unpleasant physical occurrences. We have spiritual unpleasantries as well such as angry, lustful, or prideful thoughts. Images and sounds may distract us not only to sinful thought, but speech and action as well. Veronica was required to announce that she was unclean when she came out of her home. Yet she defied religious legalism to seek cleansing. How much more should we reach out to Christ in faith and repentance? If we confess our sins, He is just to forgive all of our uncleanliness (1 John 1:9).

We have wounds and sores that have lingered for years. Like the woman’s physical issue, some of our sinful habits didn’t happen in a moment. We developed patterns of wrong behavior and thinking as we live in a broken world. “Boys will be boys,” and other popular misguided low expectations have given us a society that expects and celebrates the worst of ourselves. I don’t think there is a greater sickness. Such a mental and spiritual state of the world can only add to our illness of sin. If we want to be healed, we must encounter the Lord in the House of Mercy, a Bethsaida, a point of prayer where we are one-on-one with Him. Jesus once encountered a lame man who had no one to help him into the troubled healing waters for over 30 years. Hearing the Lord question his willingness, the man put aside his well-worn excuse and was healed (John 5:1-9).

Jesus sent Veronica away in peace that she had been healed and her faith justified. Indeed, He even called her “daughter,” a title of belonging. There may have been grumbles, murmurs, and legalistic challenges as with other of the Lord’s miracles. But that was not her problem. Christ gives a peace that the world is in no position and has no right to take away. Our society of political and social divisions wishes to keep us in conflict with ourselves as well as others. Along with actual mental illnesses, many of our anxieties are caused by a lack of peace in mind and detachment from hope. Like the man Legion, we roam the graveyards howling and scaring ourselves. An encounter with Christ can find us clothed and in a right mind (Mark 5:1-15).

When practicing a prayer rule, it’s good to be aware of our need for cleansing, healing and peace in mind. Sure, we should make petitions to the Lord, offer adorations and thanksgivings and interceding for others in need are all fine as well. I imagine those in the crowd also shouted exalting words to Jesus. Some may even be asking for help for a loved one. But this woman saw her flaws and was intentional to touch the Healer even to the most minimal portion of Himself. She made the effort for an encounter that was beyond what the crowd expected and wanted for themselves, much less her with her bloody issues. Anyone who has the same issues should reach out likewise. Saint Veronica, pray to the Lord for us.