"Among the crowd was a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a lot at the hands of many doctors and had spent everything she had, but instead of getting better, she was worse. Because she had heard about JESUS, this woman came up behind HIM and touched HIS cloak, thinking, 'If I just touch HIS clothing, I shall get well.' Her flow of blood dried up at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her complaint.
But JESUS was conscious that healing power had gone out from HIM, so HE turned around in the crowd, and asked, 'Who touched MY clothes?' HIS disciples answered, 'YOU see how the people are crowding around YOU. Why do YOU ask who touched YOU?' But HE kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, aware of what had happened, came forward, trembling and afraid. She knelt before HIM, and told HIM the whole truth.
Then JESUS said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be free of this illness.'" - Mark 5:25-34
(This woman was considered by the Jews as unclean because of her illness [Leviticus 15:19]. She would also make "unclean" anyone who touched her. Because of this, she was prohibited by the law from mingling with others but dared enter into the crowd, and touch JESUS' cloak.
Faith drove her to break the law of "purification," and to risk scandal. This woman did not know who JESUS was, but had faith that GOD would cure her through HIM.
The religiosity of this woman is akin to what we call today "popular Catholicism." As seen in this woman, popular Catholicism is ill-instructed, yet shows a strong religious sense and trust in GOD. It is superficial and naïve, expecting great results from touching images and religious things--CHRIST's garment in this case. Like JESUS, we should respect the religious expressions of popular Catholicism while at the same time trying, like HIM, to help people discover deeper dimensions of their faith.)
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