From: Luke 13:10-17

Jesus Cures a Woman on the Sabbath

[10] Now He (Jesus) was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
[11] And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years;
she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. [12] And when Jesus
saw her, He called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infir-
mity.” [13] And He laid His hands upon her, and immediately she was made
straight, and she praised God. [14] But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant
because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six
days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and
not on the Sabbath Day.” [15] Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites!
Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger,
and lead it away to water it? [16] And ought not this woman, a daughter of
Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on
the Sabbath Day?” [17] As He said this, all His adversaries were put to shame;
and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by Him.

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Commentary:

10-17. As was the custom, our Lord used to go to the synagogue on the Sab-
bath. Noticing this poor woman He uses His power and mercy to cure her. The
ordinary people are delighted, but the ruler of the synagogue, apparently zea-
lous about fulfilling the Law (cf. Exodus 20:8; 31:14; Leviticus 19:3-30), publicly
upbraids our Lord. Jesus energetically censures this warped interpretation of the
Law and stresses the need for mercy and understanding, which is what pleases
God (cf. Hosea 6:6; James 2:13).

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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.

Mass Readings

First reading	Romans 8:12-17 ©

My brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.

Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

Psalm	Psalm 67:2,4,6-7,20-21

Gospel	Luke 13:10-17 ©

One sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright. When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.

But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, and he addressed the people present. ‘There are six days’ he said ‘when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the sabbath.’ But the Lord answered him. ‘Hypocrites!’ he said ‘Is there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the sabbath and take it out for watering? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years – was it not right to untie her bonds on the sabbath day?’ When he said this, all his adversaries were covered with confusion, and all the people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked.