Jacob's ladder is another image that is familiar to us from the Old Testament. It seems that the early revelations from  God were concerned only with life on this earth. The ladder is used by angels to ascend and descend to heaven; there is no mention of men among the traffic between our earth and God's heaven. Jesus brings us the Good News that his Way leads to eternal life. Jesus even refers back to the the prophets to assure us that the eternity "my kingdom is not of this world" he preaches is without beginning or end and so God is God of the Living. Abraham and the other prophets are living in that other creation in which we pledge our belief when we repeat our Creed.

Jesus restores health to the woman who touches his cloak. The man Jesus is completely God and completely Man. He is all knowing and so the touch and the faith which inspires it are completely known to Our Lord. "Your faith has made you whole". It is our faith that brings Jesus to our bodies n the Eucharist. The bread and wine of the mass  are not a garment as was the cloak of Jesus but are Body and Blood the Living Lord.

Dear Lord, let not the faith of your Church weaken under worldly pressure but let her and her priests remain steadfast and true to what has been passed on from you during the last 2000 years.