A Man with a Withered Hand

Today's Readings

January 18, 2012

St. Margaret of Hungary
Wednesday of the Second Week
GREEN

1 Sm 17:32-33, 37, 40-51
Ps 144
 

Mk 3:1-6

 

A Man with a Withered Hand

¹[Jesus] entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. ²They watched him closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. ³He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” ⁴Then he said to them, “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. ⁵Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. ⁶The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Reflection:

They remained silent. Any answer the Pharisees may give to Jesus’ question puts them in a spot. If they say yes, they show themselves to be lax in the interpretation of the Law and to be themselves breaking the Sabbath. If no, they appear literal-minded before the Law and insensitive to the suffering of the man with a withered hand. So they give no answer, refusing to acknowledge the goodness of Jesus’ works and preferring to be blinded by their biases.

By healing the man, Jesus declares that God’s will is to save mankind from sin and death. God does not want people to suffer; God wants them to be helped and healed.

The help we can give today should not be postponed for tomorrow. The welfare of people is more important than regulations and ceremonials.

Resolve not to let a day pass without doing good or speaking words of affirmation to other people.