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| Image by Tim Donnelly |
A GREETING
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in God my heart trusts; so I am helped.
(Psalm 28:7)
A READING
One Sabbath, when Jesus came to eat a meal in the house of one of the leading Pharisees, the guests watched him closely. Directly in front of Jesus was a person who suffered from edema. Jesus asked the experts on the Law and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they kept silent. With that, Jesus laid hands on the individual and healed the swelling, then sent the person away. Jesus said to the guests, “If one of you has a child—or even an ox—and it falls into a pit, won’t you rescue it immediately, even on the Sabbath day?” They had no answer to this.
(Luke 14:1-6 TIB)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.
(Isaiah 40:31a)
A REFLECTION
What is grace?
It is something not seen, something we don't get to feel directly. On the contrary, it is something entirely improbable and incredible, according to which we judge what we experience here. It speaks of an event beyond all worlds and wants to draw us away from our own world to another. A dark abyss opens up, and a voice commands: Jump across. I will catch you and hold you fast. I am stretching out my hand. Now bet your life on it, and rely on me and on nothing else. My grace is sufficient for you. I am love. "I have called you by name, you are mine."
- from I Want to Live These Days With You: A Year of Daily Devotions
by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
VERSE OF THE DAY
Let your steadfast love, O God, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
(Psalm 33:22)
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| Untitled painting by Anni Roenkae |
In today’s reading, Jesus uses the same logic to convince his detractors about healing on the sabbath as he used in yesterday’s encounter in the synagogue in Capernaum. Work on the sabbath day that prevented the loss of life in animals had become acceptable to many temple leaders. Jesus once again implies that what can be done to save an animal should be possible with a human being. No one stops him or even challenges him this time, despite that the one who is suffering does not actually appear to be at risk of their life.
In the story, the unnamed person who is suffering has edema. The setting is the home of a Pharisee temple leader. The first extraordinary thing about this encounter is that Jesus is sharing a meal with those who have been most critical of him. He then appears to seek their input, asking if it is lawful to do what he wants to do. When he hears no reply, he continues. Jesus is involved in a nuanced dance of power. He has been invited to a meal, and then he has been left to do what has become expected — incriminate himself.
Meanwhile, once again, a human being who suffers is sidelined in the intellectual discussion of what is appropriate to do. In this way, the healing stories of Jesus can be challenging for us in our own time. Even after intense prayer for healing, many of us experience disappointment. We might feel pressure from others to believe that if we just had enough faith, our challenge will go away. Scripture has been used harmfully this way. But each journey of healing is unique. No matter its outcome, Jesus is always present.
In today’s reflection, Dietrich Bonhoeffer suggests that Jesus enters into our suffering: he suffers with us as we suffer, he accompanies us in the suffering and he is also a part of the transformative ways our lives can change or improve. Prayer and faith are not guarantees of healing, but we are always in the loving embrace of Jesus, no matter what we are going through. Jesus always wants us to thrive — on any day of the week.
How can we uphold those who suffer by helping them to tell their stories? How can we advocate for them, even as we also keep them in prayer?
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| Image by Geoff Whalan |
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LC† Before the Cross is a project of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook, and on Twitter. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help to support extended offerings throughout the year. Thank you and peace be with you!
