Did you miss the physical contact with others during the pandemic days? I think we all did. We missed our regular hand shakings, hugs, and just being close with family and friends and other people. Even the priests were not allowed to lay hands nor to touch another person while performing the sacraments. Physical contact is important, makes us feel close to another person. Today’s Gospel reading is all about physical contact, first Jairus falls at Jesus’ feet and begs Him: “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” And before Jesus brought the little girl back to life: “He took the child by the hand and said to her: I say to you, arise!” There was also that sick woman in the crowd who touched Jesus’ cloak- “She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.” And all the crowd was pressing in on Jesus, wanting to be close and to touch Him. Jesus doesn’t want us to be distant from each other, he wants us to be close, to respectfully and lovingly touch each other and that closeness will make miracles and change people’s lives.
