Saint Jerome (347-420), priest, translator of the Bible, Doctor of the Church
Commentary on Saint Mark's Gospel, 2; PLS 2, 125f.

«Jesus approached her, grasped her hand and helped her up.» For indeed, the sick woman was unable to get up on her own. Since she was confined to bed, she could not come before Jesus. This compassionate doctor came to her bed himself and he who carried a sick lamb on his shoulders now drew near to this bed... He draws closer that he might heal more fully. Take good note of what is written here... «You should certainly have come to meet me, you should have come to greet me at the threshold of your house, but in that case your healing would have been the result, less of my compassion than of your will. But since such a strong fever oppresses you and prevents you from getting up, I am coming myself.»

«And he helped her up.» As she couldn't stand up by herself, it was the Lord who helped her. «He grasped her hand and helped her up.» When Peter was in danger on the sea, just as he was going to drown, he too was grasped by the hand and raised up... What a beautiful sign of friendship and love towards this sick woman! He helped her up by taking her hand; his hand healed the sick woman's hand. He grasped that hand as a doctor would have done, he who was both doctor and remedy took her pulse and assessed the gravity of the fever. Jesus touched it and the fever vanished.

Let us want him to touch our hand so that in this way what we do may be made pure. Should he enter our house, let us get off our bed at last and not remain lying down. Jesus stands at our bedside and will we remain lying down? Come on! To your feet!... «There is one among you whom you do not recognize» (Jn 1,26); «the kingdom of God is among you» (Lk 17,21). Let us have faith and we shall see Jesus among us.