Fr Peter Ireorji, MSP - Homily from Monday, Oct. 29, 2018

Luke 13:10-17, contains a healing story that leads to a controversy. There was a woman who suffered 18 years from a crippling disease which made standing erect an impossibility for her. She did not ask Jesus to heal her but upon seeing her, Jesús laid hands on her; that imparted both healing and blessing, and immediately she was able to stand erect. Upon being healed, the woman’s first act is to praise and glorify God. But the leader of the synagogue was not pleased with what Jesus did, hence he was maintaining the reading and faithful teaching of the law. Clearly, he thought Jesus has broken the Sabbath observance by healing this woman. Jesus responded by arguing in typical rabbinic fashion from the lesser to the greater. For Jesus, it was hypocritical to take care of animals on the Sabbath but not take care of humans. For him, the Sabbath is about liberation, not restriction. Jesus didn’t reject the Sabbath observance; he simply reinterpreted it from the perspective of freedom and new life. Instead of the woman being humiliated, the adversaries of Jesus now suffer that fate. His supporters, of course, were ecstatic. He has brought down the haughty and lifted up the lowly. esus healed on the Sabbath because God does not rest from showing his mercy and love, ever. God’s word has power to change us, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Is there anything that keeps you bound up or that weighs you down? Let the Lord speak his word to you and give you freedom. Shalom!