Luke 13:10-17 - Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman you are set free of you infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day.” The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not have been set free on the Sabbath day from this bondage?” When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.
Thoughts: Why did Jesus just heal her? With others He healed at their request. But with this woman, He called her out. I would imagine that during the time, while He was teaching, the woman surely did not escape his notice. How often to do we not notice people who are hurting all around us because they have been so for a long time and we are blinded to their condition? The woman in the story had debilitating issues to the point she was incapable of helping herself. Jesus is all-knowing and often knows our problems better than we do.
I was living with afflictions that I just assumed were a part of me. I had areas of sin in my life that I had been dealing with for so long, I just accepted it. When we have a spirit within us that is not of God, it can consume who we are like a cancer. I think the fact that the woman was in the synagogue shows that she was seeking a cure even if she did not know completely what was wrong with her. Also, the fact that she had been like this for eighteen years shows her commitment and hope in something greater.
As He did with me, Jesus chose this particular day to reach out and free her from her bondage and rid her of infirmity. Her response was immediate and purposeful. She glorified God with all of her being. She glorified Him without fear. When this saving power of God is experienced, we are immediately filled with the Holy Spirit and cannot help but glorify God. Just like the early disciples let us make haste to rejoice with all who are healed and brought to relationship with Jesus Christ.
Let us never cease to offer prayers for all who are suffering, including the many who do not appear to be suffering on the outside but on the inside are tormented by something they can’t quite put their hands on. Something that eludes there consciousness. They seek happiness but are unable to see the true joy that comes from Christ. Instead, they chase the road to happiness that is presented to them by the world. I pray that people would have the courage to seek the joy of the Lord and abandon the empty happiness that ultimately leads to destruction.
Acts 4:19-20 - Peter and John answered, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight for us to obey you rather than God. Surely we cannot help speaking of what we have heard and seen."
Thoughts: Today I read in the gospel of John about Peter and John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) going to the tomb to see what Mary had told them about the tomb being empty. These two had walked with Jesus on a daily basis, literally. They had seen the many miracles performed by Him, literally.
Oh to have had that type of closeness to the Lord. This closeness they had is what drove them to proclaim what they had heard boldly and against opposition. But what was the purpose behind them sharing with others? I believe it was the command from Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations. It was the desire of the God made man to have all come to the Father through Him.
While we will probably never walk with Jesus in physical form like the apostles did, we do have the opportunity to be with Him physically in the Eucharist. What a fabulous gift he left us at the last supper. We hear His words recounted to us through the Bible. We receive revelation and consolation through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit promised us by Jesus at Pentecost.
It is through the gift of the Holy Spirit that I have been strengthened by the Lord. Armed with this gift I am called and feel privileged to share the same gospel message shared by the apostles long ago. Along with recounting all of the marvelous deeds done by Christ so long ago, I must also share what the Lord has done for me. For the gospel is not just something that happened thousands of years ago. It is the living gospel of life for Christ was risen from the dead. If Jesus had died of the cross and not risen then the gospel might have ceased at that moment. But this is not the case.
Our Lord rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and sent his Holy Spirit down to us to be our guide forever. It is because of this that the gospel lives on today through our daily lives. We only need to stop and look at our lives to see Jesus at work in and around us. So, let's go out there and share the gospel message from two thousand years ago and even more importantly to share the living gospel from today.
Surely we cannot help speaking of what we have heard and seen.
So, I was thinking today about the immaculate conception. And conception in general. Why do people or children have to be conceived at all? I mean, God made Adam and Eve out of nothing or dirt. So why not keep it that way forever? I think maybe to give us a better appreciation for life, he gave a stake or partnership in the process of creating new persons.
I recently was told about a study that shows how stem cells are transferred to a baby in the womb. It was also noted that stem cell from the baby are transferred back to the mother. One of the benefits of this transfer is better health for the mother. Now, let's think about that. If my children can give better health to my wife then just imagine Jesus giving some of his cells back to Mary. Talk about a concept hard to fathom.
Mary had part of Jesus left in her body to strengthen her for the agony she must have felt watching her son die on the cross. As Catholics, we believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This means that every time we attend mass and receive the Eucharist we have a piece of Christ present inside us. There is incredible grace and healing power made available to us every singe time week we attend mass. There should be lines down the aisle and out the door waiting for this precious gift.
I'll be going to mass as soon as I can. I'll save a place in line for you. Hope to see you there.
John 14:23 - Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and He will come to him and make Our abode with him.
Thoughts: When we have a love for Jesus and strive to keep His commands, we will experience true freedom. God sets up boundaries for us not to enslave us but to set us free. He knows what is best for us and when we submit ourselves to Him, we will experience a true freedom like we have never experienced before. God wants nothing more than to love us. So sit down in the loving arms of Jesus and just let Him love you. You don’t have to earn or deserve it. When we allow Him to love us we will be truly free to worship Him without reservation.
When I think of the word abode, I think home. It symbolizes a place of comfort, a place where I can truly be myself. Talk about the world's best roommate. Home is the place where you can always go to feel safe and wanted. Now, I know all homes are not like this but here we are talking about God's home. Put away everything you know about home. This is a whole new ball of wax.
Because we have our abode with God, we don't always have to be praying we can just be with Him. We can just sit in His presence. I am currently reading a book about Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite from France, who wrote many letters about just being in the presence of God. His idea was that every moment of our lives should be present to God and that prayer time and any other time need not be different. I would think this is probably a glimpse of what heaven will be like. Always in the presence of God. The book is title, "The Practice of the Presence of God".
If you need me for anything, I will be here hanging out with God.
