Varghese Mathai
OCP Articles
17/3/13
(St. Luke Ch.13.10-17)
As we have crossed the Mid-Day of the Great Lent, the church had chosen a very thoughtful miracle for devotional thoughts and to straighten themselves through repentance and confession for their relief from sickness in respect of Body mind and soul. The miracle is one out of the six unique miracles recorded in his book by the evangelist St. Luke.
In this hectic pace of the modern world we are miniscule items among the millions who feed the selfish ‘my world’ to flourish. In the churches, communities, offices and everywhere else, it becomes a mechanical approach. But Jesus sees, calls, touches and heals us in compassion with real love for his children.
We can see here different approaches by the Almighty God our Lord Jesus Christ and How should be our approaches towards Him?
1.The compassionate and genuine way of Jesus
It took 18 years for a crippled woman who was a regular churchgoer to be accepted, loved and healed from her infirmities. The first day when Jesus had seen her, He called and healed her thus freeing her from shame and sickness. He is our creator and He knows very well our weakness and also know when and how to heal us. No more details are given in the scripture about this lady, but we can assume that she used to come to the Synagogue regularly and with a firm faith that A day she will be getting freedom from this bondage and shame.
2. His reaction towards hypocritical Church leaders
The religious leaders could not and did not do anything for her. The temple priests were upset that Jesus had healed her on Sabbath day, to which Jesus out rightly called them “You hypocrites”. He did so because they would untie their animals and care for them on Sabbath Day, but refused to rejoice when a human being was freed from satanic bond and healed. They could not see beyond the law to Jesus’ compassion in healing the crippled woman. Actually healing is the work of God and it can be through the intercession of the Holy Chosen Authorized consecrated people, but their evil deeds have forbidden them to heal this lady in the name of the Almighty God for the last 18 years.
3. How important the faith is and the premise for obtaining healing
The healing power of Jesus Christ is shown on the basis of a living faith, not confessed directly to Jesus Christ by the crippled woman. But found out by Jesus Christ, certainly who knew that this woman came regularly to the synagogue. Jesus Christ, has taken the initiative of healing. He knows the suffering of every person and settles, at the same time, the place, time and way of comforting suffering and healing the human’s disease. In this case, the initiative to heal the woman also shows the freedom of God, as well as the sympathy for the one who suffers, for the sick one.
4. Handicap or physical illness are the will of God and to suffer it patiently
In most of the healing miracles of Jesus we can notify that the ailing individuals had directly pleaded or confessed to Jesus or somebody had interceded or pleaded on their behalf. But this lady who was suffering for the last 18 years had any grievance or grief for her crippled body but was eager to come regularly to the synagogue to give her strength to suffer what the Lord had given her. Whereas, think about ourselves? Sometime at the time of distress ad trouble we even used to exclaim that to me only is given all these troubles.
5. No limitation on time or days for Good Deed and a continuous process.
The fact that the Savior reproves the leader of the synagogue, who said that healings should not be done during a Sabbath day, He shows that good must be done any time, on a feast day too, We must do good to our fellow beings both on a week day and on a feast day because merciful love for our fellow beings must be shown at all times as we are created in the image of the Merciful God and we must be merciful too.
6. A crippled body bounded by Satan but Straight Soul which he could not bound
We can see that Jesus Christ had straightened the sick body only because the soul of the crippled woman was straight. How much trouble she might have faced throughout these 18 years to come to her Lords house? Satan was troubling and forbidding her always so that she may not approach the Holy place. This is why the Savior relates that “bounded by Satan for the last 18 years of her body only”. A straight soul to a cripple body straightened and was healed (Her body only required healing). Jesus had not mentioned herein that her soul was bound by Satan, but Satan was not allowing her physically to approach her Savior.
7.A Straight body with a crippled soul bound by Satan
Here the Gospel warns about our straight body, but with a crippled soul. This must be healed and improved. This miracle calls us during this Advent period, to improve our soul through the Sacrament of Holy Confession, for receiving forgiveness of the sins and to untie the Satan’s bondage. We are also called to do good and merciful deeds, to help the sick, helpless, and crippled. So, the Gospel of the healing of the crippled woman is a Gospel of mercy, of doing Good. The crippled woman is a teacher of strong faith, of humble prayer and of long patience.
8. Showing gratitude for the blessing received.
The Gospel says: and she began praising God. So, we also learn from her the need to be grateful; when we receive the blessing from God. We should not rejoice and forget about the benefactor, but thank God, the benefactor and giver of life and salvation.
Let us show our gratitude towards Almighty God by Worshipping Him and it is through this gratitude that we show the confirmation of the good received, that we spiritually grow, that we spiritually edify ourselves through the fact that the gifts received from God. Let us be also be merciful as He is and express this by helping the needy from the savings we have made thorough abstaining from luxury food. Let us remember that our lent will be incomplete if it is not accompanied with prayer repentance and charity deeds and for a successful Holy Advent.
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