The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (13:10-17)
In today’s gospel reading we hear of Our Lord Jesus Christ entering into a synagogue on the Sabbath day. This was the common practice among the Jewish people, in much the same way as the Christians go to the church and pray on Sundays. We are told that on this particular Sabbath day that a very sick woman entered the synagogue. The evangelist St. Luke tells us that she had a spirit of infirmity for 18 years. This spirit of infirmity or sickness manifested itself in this way, she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. This is a terrible and painful illness. One that I have seen first hand. Those who have back issues tend to suffer greatly and those who are always bent over and unable to stand upright suffer even more.
Man was not made or designed to live and to walk and to exist in a state of being bent over and bowed down. When one has this type of illness it also becomes impossible to look up. The most one can do is to look straight ahead. In this poor woman’s sickness we see a symbol of humanity, which was bowed down and bent over with a spirit of infirmity. Each and every one of us was subject to the bondage of slavery and sin. Sin made us bow low. Sin made it difficult for us to straighten ourselves and our way of life. Sin like this spirit of infirmity, made it impossible for us to look up to God and to see Him clearly.
As Our Lord Jesus Christ did for that woman two thousand years ago, on that Sabbath day, freeing her from her bondage to sickness, so He did for all of humanity through His death and resurrection. He declares boldly and without reservation, “you are freed from your infirmity.” While doing this He laid His blessed hands full of healing, upon the woman and we are told that “immediately she was made straight, and she praised God.”
Like this woman suffered for a long time, it is common for us to suffer in this life. One person suffers from disease or sickness like cancer or pneumonia, another suffers from depression and anxiety. Yet others suffer from their addictions such as marijuana, alcohol and pornography. There are numerous issues that we have. Some of the ways we suffer are caused by others or by our environment and circumstances, yet others are caused by our own negligence and sinfulness. As I mentioned to the teens yesterday, some of our suffering is self-inflicted. Yet no matter how long we’ve been suffering, we are comforted to see in today’s passage that Our Lord Jesus Christ is able to heal. He is able to heal any and all who come to Him, even someone who has been ill for 18 years or perhaps longer.
What does the Lord use to heal us? He uses many ways but primarily the vehicle of God’s healing in the world is through the life of the Church and her sacraments. The main purpose is the healing of the condition of the soul. St. Macarius of Optina writes “The soul is greater than the body: the body becomes sick, and with that it is finished. But a spiritual sickness extends into eternity. Deliver us, O lord, from such illness, and grant us healing.” As we’ve often noted, God may allow a condition to persist for a long while in order to help heal our souls. And indeed, God often uses physical illness as a path for true healing of our souls.
As I say this I want you to know that God actively and regularly heals both our spiritual and oftentimes our physical ailments through the life of the Church. Ask around and you may be surprised by the ways in which God has worked miraculously in people’s lives to offer them mercy and renewal.
I tell you all of this to remind you that if you are feeling weak and helpless and at the end of your rope, you are not alone. God sees. God is with you. God knows. Don’t lose hope. Continue to come to the Church, to the house of God, and to Christ Himself and God will sort out the details of your situation and your life. He will give each of us precisely what we need at the perfect time. This poor woman suffered for 18 years! Try to live in her condition for 18 minutes. You might not be able to do it. Yet she did not complain and grumble. She didn’t use it as an excuse to neglect the synagogue and communal worship. She never even had to say a word to the Lord. He knew her heart. She was ready for Him to work in her life. At the appointed time, the perfect time, the work was done to heal her.
God is able to help you, but not on your time, on His. St. John of Kronstadt even writes,
“When you see your body wasted away through sickness, do not murmur against God, but say, The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord (Job 1:21). You are accustomed to look upon your body as upon your own inalienable property, but that is quite wrong, because your body is God’s edifice.” God claims rights over you. Your body belongs to God because He created and He gives the gift of life. How much more is this true when we are baptized and dedicate ourselves to Christ? It becomes doubly true! Thank God. That means God will never abandon you. You are His.
I want to encourage you and I believe that you should be encouraged through this passage. I know that sometimes you struggle. Keep coming and struggling together as this faithful, humble woman did, because this is God’s hospital and we are all patients here together, looking for the healing that only God can provide. Persist in fighting the good fight. To be sure, you’ll stumble, you’ll probably fail now and again. But look up and seek the face of Christ over and over again. Desire Him above everything else, because He can and He will heal our infirmities. We are called to direct our minds to Christ and learn to give thanks in every circumstance because God has allowed all of this to rightly order our lives and to heal and save us. This is why He entered the synagogue that day and this is why He has entered into the world. To Christ alone be glory together with His Father and the Holy Spirit AMEN.
Source: Sermons