“Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.” – Mark 5:25

“And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age).” – Mark 5:42

Twelve years is not a long time
to live.

Twelve years is a long time
to live in pain.

Twelve years is an instant
for a parent.

Twelve years is an eternity
for a sufferer.

Twelve years is too short
to welcome the hand of Death.

Twelve years is too long
to welcome the cruelties of Life.

Twelve years is a grief
when it ends.

Twelve years is a joy
when it finally closes.

Twelve years should be a beginning
not an end.

Twelve years is a beginning
and an end.

Twelve years is precious
in a daughter.

Twelve years is precious
in a daughter.

I took up these ideas in the song “Twelve Years and Moment,” also published on this blog.

A poem/prayer based on Mark 5:21-43, the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel Reading for Year B, Proper 8 (13).

The image is of the healing of the woman with the hemorrhage from the Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry. Artwork by the Limbourg brothers (between 1411 and 1416) – Photo. R.M.N. / R.-G. Ojéda, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17443172. Somewhat unusually for images of this text, Jairus’ daughter is visible at right in the upper image.