The Hem of His Garment

This is the story of Jesus and the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years, set for baritone accompanied by organ.

The text for this piece is adapted from the story appearing in the synoptic Gospels at:

• Matthew 9:20-22 (Proper 5, year A, in the Revised Common Lectionary)
• Mark 5:25-34 (Proper 8, year B, in the Revised Common Lectionary)
• Luke 8:43-48

I have known for a while that I wanted to set this text to music.

I finally got the nudge that I needed to start it when I saw the mosaic (pictured above) in Ravenna, Italy (from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, 6th C).

- Art Eschenlauer, November 2017

Listen

Files

• TheHemOfHisGarment-bklt11x17.pdf - The score, for printing as a ledger-sized booklet.
• TheHemOfHisGarment-1up.pdf - The score, for printing as a letter-sized pages.
• TheHemOfHisGarment.mscx - MuseScore file used to produce the score.
• TheHemOfHisGarment.mp3 - Recording of the piece as synthesized by MuseScore.

The Text

For a dozen years she has been in anguish,
Cut off from her family and friends,
Cast out from the city and the temple,
Kept from God upon Whom she depends.

Years fly by with no end to her bleeding.
Judged by laws made in God's name by man,
Now she walks alone behind the Teacher,
Praying as she stretches forth her hand:

    "If I could touch the hem of His garment,
    His holy power could flow to me,
    to heal my sickness and cover my sins.
    With His blessing, at last, I'd be free."

Jesus feels His power flowing from Him
as He passes forward through the crowd.
Turning, He can see the hopeful woman,
no one near her, now before Him, bowed.

Looking with compassion on her boldness,
Christ speaks as He mends her wounded soul,
"Daughter, be encouraged, your faith healed you!"
From this hour onward, she is whole.

    "For I have touched the hem of His garment,
    His holy Power did flow through me,
    to heal my sickness and cover my sins.
    With His Blessing, at last, I am free."

License: CC BY-SA 4.0