Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a man who had a withered hand. He performed this miracle in the synagogue, in the presence of the Pharisees. They couldn’t celebrate this miraculous healing because their hearts had withered. They could only experience the event with indignation and judgment, viewing it as a violation of sabbath laws prohibiting work. Today, I’m wondering, what in each of us has withered? In what way(s) are we in need of Jesus’ healing touch and restoration?
“Jesus said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was restored.” Imagine the scene! A man with a visibly crippled, withered hand is healed – the hand is restored and made whole – right in front of the onlookers! There was no denying it – his hand was withered, and then in an instant it was restored. The transformation was real and obvious, the mercy and love of God manifest. However, “The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him [Jesus] to put him to death.” Can you imagine?! These religious men witnessed an undeniable healing miracle, and their response was not praise and thanksgiving to God but rather anger, malice, and condemnation. Their withered hearts and crippled consciences prevented them from responding to mercy with mercy.
The example of the Pharisees calls our own hearts and consciences into question. Is there any spiritual “withering” within us that causes us to be indignant when a particular person or particular people experience mercy? Do we have biases, prejudices, jealousy, envy, unforgiveness, or other attitudes or worldviews that prevent us from celebrating the goodness of God in the “other’s” life? Do we, at times, have a legalistic understanding of God’s Word with a rules-bound interpretation such that we only view it through a lens of condemnation and judgment and are blind to mercy and forgiveness?
I’m also wondering today for each one of us, what might be spiritually withered in other ways. What is crippling us such that we’re inhibited from doing God’s will? A withered hand would be ineffective and render the individual incapable of performing certain functions. How about our hearts? Perhaps our conscience? Maybe even our souls. What has withered within us such that we are ineffective in sharing God’s love and spreading the Gospel? Are we walking in disobedience to the Word or Church teaching? What needs to be healed by Christ in order that we might become more fruitful and faithful disciples? Jesus sees your withered parts; Jesus sees my withered parts. It’s obvious to Him. He knows our frailty when it comes to our spiritual lives. Jesus said to the man in our Gospel account, “Stretch out your hand.” Today, can we listen for the voice of our Healer saying to us, “Stretch out your _____________.” I invite you to fill in that blank for yourself. Stretch it out toward Jesus, whatever it is that is withered within you, and allow Him to restore it to wholeness.
Let us celebrate God’s extravagant goodness today, wherever and in whomever we observe and experience it. May today be a day of healing miracles within and around us! May we be humble people hungry for God’s mercy and eager to extend it to others. Praise be the Name of Jesus, our merciful Healer! Amen!
-Elizabeth Wells