Blessed public property- 5:25-34

I'd imagine the streets of Capernaum were dusty. How narrow? The large crowd is thronging around him, “followed him and pressed in on him (sunethlibon). Listened to a podcast yesterday on the Holy Spirit from Pete Vol. He was talking about how Jesus became public property- and that this is where the Spirit wants to take us – to places where Mother Teresa or Boenhoeffer have been- to self forgetfulness (made a distinction there with unselfishness).
And there was a woman in the crowd that day that was glad Jesus had decided to do that. 'Since this crowd is not respecting your privacy, I shall take advantage of that and push through the throng to touch your cloak. Ah the 'right' of privacy – it runs deep in me. I don't know if they'd understand in quite the same way in 1st Century palestine the way our individual western world goes about this. I do feel sometimes like descriptions I've heard of American foreign policy- swinging from isolationist to interventionist, times of wanting to be off in the bush, walking on my own or perhaps one or two good friends- not wanting to engage with the problematic world around me- and other times where I do.
She has had a rough run (simply and minimally stated by Mark). Suffering from hemorrhages for 12 years. Had 'endured' (can get a bit of an insight with that word with Teresa- different doctors saying very different things- Naturopaths recommending things they do) much under many physicians, had spent all she had- was no better- in fact had grown worse.
So here's another last ditch effort- what have I got to lose- he might be able to help me (like Jairus, the disciples and the demons- the last group knew very clearly what they had to lose). It it pays off- though not quite like the woman would have hoped. We have too 'euthus's' (immediately's) in quick succession. The woman knows straigtaway that the bleeding has stopped and she has been cured of her disease (she felt in her body). What a feeling that must have been. But there is no time to enjoy it. Jesus immediately feels power has gone out of him, and he stops and questions the crowd. The disciples think this is ridiculous- and politely tell him. But Jesus isn't interested in the slinking away overjoyed approach. The woman is terrified and comes and owns up- And then Jesus gives her a chance of deeper joy- he interprets the event for her- and sends her with grace on her way. “Daughter your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”
Probably a deliberate choice of words by Jesus- your faith has made you well- get the feeling he's talking about more than just the physical healing. And then as corrective against my private world thinking- he tells her to go in peace and be healed of her disease. She already was healed of her disease- but I think Jesus is saying- your action was legitimate and has my blessing- it was not some impersonal 'power' transaction- that's why I didn't let it go at that though you would have liked that.
And her gratitude can flow in a more helpful direction- Jesus has pointed her to the fact that her healing was or could be more than just physical – more global- when she thinks of this event- it wont be just the coat touching- the thing that will occupy centre stage is the personal interaction with Jesus- unexpected, scary but in the end so very welcome.
There was a whole crowd there- the woman was very aware of that at the start- was seeking privacy among them- and then when called out, it was in front of all those people- but I imagine by the end she's largely forgotten about the crowd (they are still there all around her), and felt like she was having this personal interaction with Jesus- she's in a far more self forgetful place at the end- with heightened joy I would think.