“Jesus turned, and seeing her, He said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was healed from that very hour.” (Matthew 9:22)
Who among us is not bleeding—bleeding in values, relationships, actions, faith, and the very foundations of hope—amidst this era of moral drought in which we have strayed from the teachings of the Holy Gospel?
Yes, we have drifted away, deviated, and abandoned our principles, immersing ourselves in a consumerist society that has ensnared us in the snares of demonic selfishness. We have succumbed to the deadly plague of egotism, making it our ultimate pursuit and direction.
It is disheartening that we shape our lives according to the whims of this deceptive and misleading “self.” We tailor our behaviors to its dictates, aligning our words, actions, and relationships with its desires.
This lethal selfishness has dismantled the family unit—the cornerstone of nations and societies. It has banished love from our hearts and consciences, plunging us into darkness, leading us into temptation, and straying us from the righteous path of salvation that Christ paved for us with His blood on the cross.
We have lost everything because we have lost ourselves, turning a blind eye to the divine wisdom: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet loses his soul?”
Indeed, we have fallen into the traps of Satan and his temptations due to our lack of faith and our blind pursuit of worldly possessions—wealth, power, and influence. As a result, we continue to bleed relentlessly each time we commit sin, which is spiritual death.
We bleed when we fail to resist evil and instead sink deeper into greed and desires.
We bleed when we fail to love, forgive, and show mercy, when we neglect prayer and refrain from spreading the Word of the Lord.
We bleed in our minds, souls, and hearts when we distance ourselves from faith and surrender to temptation.
We bleed when we allow the fleeting pleasures of this material world to seduce and consume us.
We bleed when we fail to fear God in our interactions with one another, within our families, and in our communities.
We bleed when we abandon the essence of love—God Himself—which is best manifested in self-sacrifice for the sake of others.
We bleed when we allow greed, envy, and avarice to govern our lives.
We bleed when we worship material possessions and forsake the worship of God, rejecting His teachings.
We bleed when we dishonor the blood of martyrs and disregard the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives for our nation, standing unwavering in truth and refusing to cower in fear.
We bleed because we support corrupt leaders and politicians who exploit our destiny, our livelihood, and our homeland.
We bleed because we have accepted the role of slaves and sheep, content to live in enclosures.
And yet, do we still wonder why our beloved Lebanon has become a battlefield for others, why we have lost our independence and sovereignty?
There is no salvation, no end to our hemorrhage, except through repentance, prayer, fasting, and acts of penance. The Lord is merciful, forgiving, and loving—He desires to help us and stop our bleeding if we turn to Him with reverence, faith, and hope, just as the bleeding woman did.
The Lord redeemed us through His only Son, freeing us from the yoke of original sin and showing us the path to salvation. Yet, He has left us with a choice: to walk that path and reach the eternal home He has prepared for us in His kingdom, where there is no suffering, hatred, or pain—or to stray from it, choosing the roads of wickedness that lead to the torments of hell, where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, an unquenchable fire, and a worm that never dies.”
On this Sunday, let us take inspiration from the faith of the bleeding woman, strengthening our trust in God, in His power, in His love, and in the grace of forgiveness He offers to those who sincerely seek it in repentance. “He who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.” (Psalm 103:3)
Let us pray fervently for Lebanon’s salvation, for an end to the hemorrhaging that has afflicted its institutions, and for its leaders to find the path of faith, justice, and truth.
NB: The above piece was first published in 2013. It is republished with major changes
The Third Lent Sunday/The Miracle Of Healing The haemorrhagic Woman Luke08/40-56: 40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.”
