Jesus heals a woman bent over for eighteen years in the synagogue on the Sabbath, setting an example that man is more valuable than any rule, and the Lord calls us to straighten up from sin.
Dear brothers and sisters, dear pilgrims! A few moments ago we heard Saint Luke the Evangelist describe Jesus' day, and not just any day, but the Sabbath, the Lord's day. For the Jews, this day and feast is a day of rest when no work is allowed. This day must be dedicated to the Lord and the family.
The day must be spent in the synagogue, reading the Holy Scriptures, and being with the family. The day before the Sabbath, everyone prepares because on that day no work is allowed. The Jews strictly observed this. Jesus was also a Jew and went to the places of assembly to pray.
This place was the center of spiritual, cultural, and social life. Different people met here, men and women, healthy and sick. All of them came to keep God's commandment and to meet one another. Just as we do today when we come to Holy Mass to meet the Lord and each other.
To this meeting place also came a woman who had been ill for eighteen years, bent over, and unable to stand up straight. Saint Luke the Evangelist writes that the spirit of infirmity was upon her, but despite this, she also came to the synagogue. We do not know how she came or with whom, but we can assume that, like most people, she came to pray and meet others.
It is interesting that she did not ask Jesus to heal her, she did not pray to Him, and in fact, until the moment of healing, she did not even know who He was. Only when Jesus laid His hands upon her did the eyes of her heart open. Jesus was the first to notice the woman, called out to her, and with His words laid His hands upon her, freeing her from her illness.
Woman, you are freed from your infirmity! Only then was the woman able to straighten up in every respect, her eyes opened, and she began to glorify God. It was not just any person He healed, because Jesus is the Lord, and His power is within Him. Only Jesus can restore lost physical and spiritual health.
The ruler of the synagogue, however, remains closed, refuses to believe, and reproaches Jesus for breaking the Sabbath. For him, the rules and regulations are important, which he himself sometimes fails to keep, yet demands of others. His gaze is directed toward the ground, he is afraid to walk in the light, and prefers to wander in darkness.
After this encounter, Jesus gives a lesson to the ruler of the synagogue and to all of us. What is important? That man is more important and more valuable than any rule. That the Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath. On the Sabbath, too, we must do good, and avoid evil and sin.
One more thing is important from this passage. This woman has no name. Jesus does not address her by name either, but simply calls her woman. This means that all of us can recognize ourselves in this woman. When we live in sin, we walk bent over and cannot straighten up.
And when Jesus in the sacraments, especially the sacrament of confession, places His hand upon our head, He purifies us and frees us from sin. Only then can we straighten up and turn our gaze toward heaven and our fellow man. When we live in sin, we look toward the ground, feel uncomfortable, and are ashamed.
Dear brothers and sisters, following the example of this woman, we too meet Jesus on Sundays and feast days at Holy Mass. Just as Jesus noticed that sick person in the synagogue, He sees us too, notices the illnesses and sufferings of our lives, and invites us as well to draw near to Him, so that He may lay His hands upon us.
At the meeting held in the synagogue, not everyone was healed because they were closed-minded and did not believe. The woman was not closed-minded; she believed and was healed. The ruler remained closed-minded, grumbled, and complained. Perhaps tonight there are those here who are closed-minded, just grumbling and asking: why this, why that?
Let us open our hearts tonight! Let us hear the voice of Jesus calling us. Let us allow Mary to lead us to Jesus so that He too may lay His hands upon us. It is necessary that we come before Jesus so that He may touch us and free us. After the encounter with Jesus, the woman stood up, straightened up, and praised God.
After this evening's encounter and the touch of the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist and through the Word of God, let us also rise and return to walk our daily lives, praising and exalting God, because He has manifested His love and mercy upon us as well. Amen.
AI translation. This text was made with artificial intelligence from the live broadcast of Radio Mir Medjugorje. It may contain small inaccuracies; the homily as preached in Croatian is authoritative.