Impressions on a Sunday Morning

The gospel of Luke starts this morning with this story:

And 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. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.--Luke 13:11-13

What strikes me immediately in this moment is that Jesus, noticing this woman, called to her... and healed her (on the Sabbath... we'll get to that) without asking her questions or giving her a 'Do you believe in me?' quiz. We don't know what's wrong with her to make her crippled. We just know that she is. I don't think it matters what has got her bent over this way. It could be a physical ailment or it could be depression. The important point is that Jesus (God) comes to her without her asking, and removes whatever the burden and frees her body, mind and spirit. Again, on the Sabbath. What would this always be true for all people that, being in their place of worship, they'd have contact with God and that would free them from their burdens! Come on to me all ye who travail and are heavy laden and I will refresh you...

The gospel reading continues with what you would expect out of the nay-sayers of that time:

But 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." --Luke 13:14

Picky, picky, petty, and stupid. This recalls other recountings of Jesus' healing on the sabbath where the ones in charge cry foul. And, as with those other stories, Jesus responds with calling them 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? And 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?"--Luke 13:15-16

As I said, if only all of us could be freed from bondage on the Sabbath day! Isn't that the point? When we go to the table, are we not sharing in that opportunity to be freed? I think so.

And with that, I am off to St. John's to experience the opportunity to be set free... again.