From: Luke 6:6-11
The Cure of a Man with a Withered Hand
[6] On another Sabbath, when He (Jesus) entered the synagogue and taught, a
man was there whose right hand was withered. [7] And the scribes and the Pha-
risees watched Him, to see whether He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they
might find an accusation against Him. [8] But He knew their thoughts, and He
said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he
rose and stood there. [9] And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the
Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” [10] And He
looked around on them all, and said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did
so, and his hand was restored. [11] But they were filled with fury and discussed
with one another what they might do to Jesus.
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Commentary:
10. The Fathers teach us how to discover a deep spiritual meaning in apparently
casual things Jesus says. St. Ambrose, for example, commenting on the phrase
“Stretch out your hand,” says: “This form of medicine is common and general.
Offer it often, in benefit of your neighbor; defend from injury anyone who seems
to be suffering as a result of calumny; stretch your hand out also to the poor man
who asks for your help; stretch it out also to the Lord asking Him to forgive your
sins; that is how you should stretch your hand out, and that is the way to be
cured” (”Expositio Evangelii sec. Lucam, in loc”.).
11. The Pharisees do not want to reply to Jesus’ question and do not know how
to react to the miracle which He goes on to work. It should have converted them,
but their hearts were in darkness and they were full of jealousy and anger. Later
on, these people, who kept quiet in our Lord’s presence, began to discuss Him
among themselves, not with a view to approaching Him again but with the pur-
pose of doing away with Him. In this connection St. Cyril comments: “O Phari-
see, you see Him working wonders and healing the sick by using a higher power,
yet out of envy you plot His death” (”Commentarium in Lucam, in loc.”).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman &Todd
Readings at Mass
| First reading |
| Colossians 1:24-2:3 © |
It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. I became the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ. It is for this I struggle wearily on, helped only by his power driving me irresistibly.
Yes, I want you to know that I do have to struggle hard for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for so many others who have never seen me face to face. It is all to bind you together in love and to stir your minds, so that your understanding may come to full development, until you really know God’s secret in which all the jewels of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
In God is my safety and glory.
In God alone be at rest, my soul;
for my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
my fortress: I stand firm.
In God is my safety and glory.
Take refuge in God, all you people.
Trust him at all times.
Pour out your hearts before him
for God is our refuge.
In God is my safety and glory.
| Gospel Acclamation |
Ps118:105 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your word is a lamp for my steps
and a light for my path.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
On the sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure a man on the sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’ And he came out and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I put it to you: is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?’ Then he looked round at them all and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was better. But they were furious, and began to discuss the best way of dealing with Jesus.