Reflection for Wednesday January 17, Saint Anthony, Abbot; Mark 3:1-6

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.

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Reflection:

What would you do if you see a sick man?

Jesus had two choices when He saw a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. The first choice was to simply ignore the sick man because it was the Sabbath day. The other choice was to cure the man and in the process ignore the Sabbath day.

Jesus chose to heal the man and disregarded the Sabbath day. For Jesus it’s the welfare of the sick man first before the observance of the Sabbath law. In that instance Jesus chose to give priority to His ministry of healing rather than observe the Sabbath law.

Jesus is a healer and His healing power is not bounded by anything be it criticism by His perceived enemies. His healing power is not solely restricted with physical healing; He heals us more spiritually and emotionally.

But Jesus requires something from us also and that is our faith in Him. Just like the faith of David when he defeated Goliath. The same faith also of this man with a withered hand that was cured by Jesus on the Sabbath.

Let us therefore hold on to Jesus with faith no matter how hazy the horizon that is in front of us. - Marino J. Dasmarinas