Today's Gospel highlights Jesus resurrecting a dead girl and the healing of a woman who had been suffering from loss of blood for a long time.
Jesus saves both, and to the woman he says:
"Take courage, daughter, your faith has saved you" (Mt 9:22).
Like Jesus, Francis the Simple did not humiliate the needy, but went to them and saved them through faith in God.
The Sources recount:
"In the diocese of Sora, a noblewoman named Rogata had been suffering from loss of blood for twenty-three years. It should be added that she had resorted to many doctors, resulting in a great deal of ill health.
Often, as the illness worsened, she seemed to be dying. If the bleeding could be stopped, her whole body would swell.
She happened to hear a young man singing in the Roman vernacular the story of the miracles wrought by God through St Francis, and then, dissolving into tears from emotion and pain, she began to say thus:
"O blessed Father Francis, who shines through so many miracles, if you deign to free me from this illness, you will have great glory, because you have never performed such a great miracle until now".
To what so many words? She had scarcely finished speaking when she felt cured by the merits of blessed Francis.
Even a woman from Sicily, who had suffered loss of blood for seven years, was healed by the holy bishop of Christ" (FF 1314).
Faith in Jesus and his servants works wonderful things!
Monday of the 14th wk. in O.T. (Mt 9,18-26)