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Gospel: Luke 6: 6-11
On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up and stand before us.”
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
“Stretch out your hand.”
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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There’s a catch-phrase that’s seeped into our vocabulary as of late:
“See something, say something.”
Maybe you’ve seen the commercial. A man leaves a backpack next to a garbage can or a bench and then he suspiciously walks away.
“See something, say something.”
One of the underlying themes behind this message is that life is beautiful. It’s worth saving. If you notice someone may be in danger – if you see something – say something!
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This same idea is at work in today’s Gospel.
But instead of “see something, say something,” Jesus steps it up a notch.
“See something, do something.”
There’s a man with a withered hand. Tradition tells us that he was a stone mason; he needed his hands in order to earn a living. So, he approaches Jesus, and says, “Please, Lord, give me my hand back so that I may work and not beg.”
God always looks with approval upon the person who wants to do an honest day’s work. (We celebrate this truth today on Labor Day). And so, instantly, this man is healed.
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This Gospel passage not only reminds us of the dignity of human labor, it also reminds us that “impossible” is not a word that should exist in Christian vocabulary. Our God works miracles.
In my priestly ministry, I’ve witnessed the Lord heal three people physically just in the last six months. Two of them were on the brink of death! “Impossible” should not exist in our vocabulary.
But here’s a word for all of us: there are moments when we all encounter a person in need – either physically, emotionally, or spiritually. There’s always something we can do to alleviate their pain.
When you “see something, say something.” Or, better, “do something.”
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Image credits: (1) (2) Pauca Verba (3) Animal Activism