Today, we consider the prayer as a struggle of faith and a victory of perseverance. In "Genesis" (ch. 32), that mysterious "hand to hand" struggle, between Jacob and God, announces something of what we can now see in the "bleeding woman" and Jairus.

Prayer requires trust, closeness, in a symbolic "hand to hand" with God, as in the woman who was subject to bleeding: "If I can touch…". The "battle" implies strength of soul, perseverance, tenacity in reaching what we desire before a blessing Lord who remains always mysterious, who appears unattainable. And if the object of one’s desire is a relationship with God, His blessing and His love, then the battle cannot but culminate in the gift of oneself to God in the recognition of one’s own weakness, which triumphs precisely when we reach the point of surrendering ourselves into the merciful hands of God: "Your faith has saved you".

—When nobody listens to me anymore, when I can no longer invoke anyone, when the problem seems to overflow all hopes —such was the situation with Jairus— God still listens to me and helps me.