Luke 13:10-17 (NRSV)
Read Luke 13:10-17 on biblegateway.com
Verse 10Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. Verse 11And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. Verse 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." Verse 13When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. Verse 14But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." Verse 15But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? Verse 16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" Verse 17When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
Devotion
To heal a suffering woman, Jesus broke the rules in vogue in his society. Do not be surprised if he does so also today. What laws do we invoke which would prevent him from reaching out to sufferers among us? What do you hear? They have brought it on themselves. They are just lazy, unwilling to work. Why should we pay to care for those who are illegally in our country? You probably can add to the list, perhaps even from your own mind or heart.
But who was to care for the children when both parents were deported to their homeland? The churches in my hometown did. Jesus’ compassion prevailed.
Prayer
Lord God of all creation, we have learned that there are consequences to our actions and decisions. Sometimes we bring suffering on ourselves. More often, we do not know why misfortune has befallen us. We only ask that others will be more like Jesus, filled with compassion, anxious to help and heal. Amen.