A reading of the holy Gospel according to Lk 13:10-17
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.And a woman was there who for eighteen yearshad been crippled by a spirit;she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”He laid his hands on her,and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.But the leader of the synagogue,indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,said to the crowd in reply,“There are six days when work should be done.Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!Does not each one of you on the sabbathuntie his ox or his ass from the mangerand lead it out for watering?This daughter of Abraham,whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath dayfrom this bondage?”When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.
REFLECTION
This daughter of Abraham,whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath dayfrom this bondage?”
The ruler of the synagogue was outraged, scolded the crowd and in essence scolded Jesus. Though he just witnessed a miracle, he chose to close his eyes and be totally unconcerned to the woman's plight. He probably had seen her at the synagogue weekly for 18 years. His heart was closed to her circumstances.
Satan had bound her through his malice, evil and hate: Jesus, in His full authority, sets her free with only a word.
Do we hold on to the law and refuse to act when mercy is needed?
Do we close our eyes to the good because in our pride we think we are better?
As we suffer with Christ, we are promised that we will be glorified with God, our Father. Jesus is love, compassion and mercy. He overcomes death and destruction. Put our complete trust in Him.
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