Monday of 23rd week, even numbered year
“Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was present, and his right hand was withered. Jesus said to them ’I put it to you : is it permitted on the Sabbath to do good or evil ; to save life or to destroy it?’”
Jesus works tirelessly so as to deliver mankind from sickness, suffering and death. He shows that the Sabbath frees mankind from sickness, suffering and death. He shows that the Sabbath frees from evil allowing humanity to walk towards restfulness.Mankind aspires to a feast and this is what it turns into..
Jesus is in a combat which regenerates humanity, so as to bring it back to life. Scribes and Pharisees are watching Jesus to see if he will cure someone on a day of Sabbath. In this way they will find reason to accuse him.
Jesus’ mission is to open up doors. He came to set us free, to take us out of those places where we close up on ourselves.
We ask for the grace to have an experience of the newness of the Holy Spirt. Jesus needs the request of the brothers for this man’s hand to become normal again. He resituates us before our own life, before our own responsibilities so that we may do what is good.
"But Jesus knew their thoughts ; and he said to the man with the paralysed hand ’ Stand up and stand right in he middle!’ And he came forward and stood there. Then Jesus said to them ’I put it to you : is it permitted on the Sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life or to destroy it?’
Jesus came to bring us out of our inner prisons, out of all outer idolatry. We can admire this extraordinary freedom Jesus has. He came out to join us so as to interiorize our life of faith, so as to make new Life resound in us which manifests the existence of God Love.
Jesus teaches the Infinite Love of God for humanity! How he would like for life to overflow, for health to flourish! He cannot bear seeing suffering in this man, nor his paralysed hand! The fact that this man’s right hand was paralysed means that the transformation of the world is paralysed.
This man was ashamed, he hid his hand! Jesus’ Presence provokes interrogations around him. Jesus has audacity, it is this man’s intimate wound which he makes manifest for all to see.
“Then he looked round at them all and said to the man ’Stretch out your hand.’ He did so and his hand was restored. But they were furious and began to discuss the best way of dealing with Jesus.”
Jesus is our Wisdom. He has rolled away the stone which smothered life. He indicates a way to go so we shall be freed of whatever stifles our life.
The Gospel is Good News, we have to gather up the buried pearls in the field of our hearts. This Good News gives us a glimpse of a face of God which is so close to man, so intimate, one which nobody could ever imagine.
On this Sabbath day, Jesus will be in the synagogue, placing the scribes and Pharisees before a simple question. According to the law and commandment which requires we love our neighbour as ourselves, it is his obligation to heal this man. Jesus owes it to himself to obey the superior request to love.
May the Lord Jesus renew our intelligence, through Love, in such a way that when confronted with the requirements of duty, we may be up to acting in love , just as he expects us to.