In the Gospel tradition, two miracle stories have been woven together, that of the woman who suffered from a haemorrhage and that of a young girl, Jairus' daughter. Both miracles are Jesus' response to great faith. Jesus consoled the woman with the haemorrhage: "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." To Jairus, he asserted: "Do not be afraid, only believe."

One message is very clear in these two stories and in the other miracle stories in the Gospels: praying for a miracle can only be effective when it is accompanied by great faith. From a superficial point of view, the woman's act of touching the hem of Jesus' garment might seem superstitious, but the whole story, especially Jesus' response to the woman, affirms the faith encounter between the woman and Jesus.

In both instances, Jesus encourages the person not to be afraid. He says this directly to Jairus: "Do not be afraid." He addresses the woman gently and affectionately "Daughter" and says to her: "Go in peace." True faith takes away all fear from our hearts and brings us the gift of deep peace.