Jesus in today’s Gospel does not need to be asked to heal the man with the withered hand, neither does he tell the man if you want to be healed come back tomorrow. He the prince of peace, heals Him there and then in the synagogue.
What is the lesson here? ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ or perhaps in today’s context, is there a good time to love? To be compassionate enough to act in love! Perhaps we can start following after our Lord, when we see someone perhaps in our church who needs healing, whether it is body, mind or spirit; we boldly go up to them and offer to pray over them for healing?
Let not wait to love but love everyone as we are called to, in the present. Bringing the peace, love and joy of our Lord wherever we go. Amen
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First reading
Hebrews 7:1-3,15-17
You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, for ever
You remember that Melchizedek, king of Salem, a priest of God Most High, went to meet Abraham who was on his way back after defeating the kings, and blessed him; and also that it was to him that Abraham gave a tenth of all that he had. By the interpretation of his name, he is, first, ‘king of righteousness’ and also king of Salem, that is, ‘king of peace’; he has no father, mother or ancestry, and his life has no beginning or ending; he is like the Son of God. He remains a priest for ever.
This becomes even more clearly evident when there appears a second Melchizedek, who is a priest not by virtue of a law about physical descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it was about him that the prophecy was made: You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and for ever.
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Gospel
Mark 3:1-6
Is it against the law on the sabbath day to save life?
Jesus went into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up out in the middle!’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was better. The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.
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