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Gospel: Mark 3: 1-6
Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Sometimes it’s fun to explore the little details imbedded in a Gospel passage. Use today’s Gospel as an example.
There’s a man with a withered hand standing in the synagogue. Moved with compassion, Jesus heals him in front of the religious authorities, who are deeply aggravated because no “work” is permitted on the Sabbath.
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Why was Jesus moved with such compassion?
In first-century Palestine, most men earned their daily bread through physical labor. Tradition tells us this man was a stone mason, which required the use of both of his hands. Without being healed, he’d be forced to beg for food.
So, Jesus heals him instantly, simply by the power of his voice.
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The Gospel also tells us that this man “arose” in order to approach Jesus. The Greek word here is “egeiro,” which means to “rise up.” It’s the same word that Mark will later use to describe Christ’s resurrection.
Meaning, Jesus not only heals humanity physically; in the resurrection, he will restore life itself.
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This miracle is also initiated by Jesus.
In fact, every miracle that Jesus initiates occurs on the Sabbath. On other days, the sick, the blind, the lame, mute and possessed approach him.
But why does Jesus insist on healing on the Sabbath?
To prove that he is Lord of the Sabbath, that he can do whatever he wills, and that he’s ushering in an entirely new creation, which will be evidenced by his resurrection from the dead.
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Image credits: (1) Business 2 Community (2) Happiness in Little Things, Medium (3) Curriculum Nacional