Jesus Heals the Crippled Woman by Noel E. Bordador

Jesus Heals the Crippled Woman
by the Reverend Noel E. Bordador

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Luke 13: 10-17

A few times, Jewish friends have invited me to their homes in celebration of Shabbat, Sabbath. One of the most beautiful religious experiences I’ve had was that of welcoming the Sabbath on a Friday night, beginning with the lighting of the candles at sundown, the singing of that beautiful Sabbath hymn, Shalom Alechem, a hymn of welcome to the angels who bring forth the day and peace of Sabbath, and of partaking the fruits of creation, food and drink especially prepared to delight the senses that makes one give all the more thanks to God.

In the Jewish religion, work generally stops on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week in order to remember and give thanks for God’s completion of creation on the seventh day of which he rested from all his work. Human striving and human labor stop on the Sabbath to remind humans that it is through the grace, love and providence of God that the world is maintained; it is not up to us humans, certainly not by our will and labors that the world and life go on; rather it is God who maintains life even when we cease working and struggling. The observance of the Sabbath seeks to acknowledge we don’t control everything, but that God is in control of everything. Moreover, Sabbath observance developed out of the primal memory of the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt and its freedom from bondage and slave labor. The rule of observing a day of rest was in part a guard against unceasing labor and slavery. Sabbath was not merely a day of worship; but it was developed to protect humans from exploitative labor. Sabbath was an observance to protect human health, and human life and to encourage physical, emotional and spiritual rejuvenation. Humans are not made to work constantly; humans need rest and take time off from work and the Sabbath was instituted to guarantee that.

Despite the general prohibition of work on Sabbath, there were certain exceptions to the rule. Military service to defend one’s country and to defend human lives was allowed during the Sabbath. Some work associated with Temple worship on Sabbath Day was also permitted. Another exception was one that Jesus quoted in the Gospel today: feeding hungry and thirsty animals was also allowed. Furthermore, the work of saving lives of dangerously ill persons was not only allowed but also required. Now, what these acts of saving lives and the definition of dangerous illness were a matter of lively discussion.

In the Gospel story today, we are told that while attending Sabbath worship at a synagogue, Jesus met a woman who had been crippled and unable to stand straight for eighteen years. Out of compassion and charity, Jesus heals her of her suffering. Now an argument ensues between Jesus and the leader of the synagogue who criticized Jesus for violating the Sabbath. In the opinion of the synagogue leader, the woman’s life was not in imminent danger, the woman was not dangerously ill and therefore, Jesus could have postponed his work until the Sabbath passes. Jesus, on the other hand, appeals for a more generous interpretation of religious law based on compassion and argued sharply, saying to the effect: If religious law allows us to care for an animal on a Sabbath, why should we not care for a human being whose life is of infinite value to God? If we’re allowed to untie the ox or ass from its bondage to a post to lead it to food and water, why can’t we untie this woman from her eighteen years of bondage to her crippling condition?” In Jesus’ own view, he was fulfilling the divine intention of Sabbath. Just as God legislated the Sabbath to free Israel from its physical, emotional and spiritual bondage in Egypt, God in Jesus seeks to liberate all from any form of bondage. The purpose of religion is not to keep people in fear and bondage; the purpose of religion is liberation, redemption and release from whatever ails them or enslaves them.

How does one know that one is growing spiritually? How does one know that one is growing in holiness? For me, the greatest measure of spiritual growth in holiness is that of compassion. When we are increasing in our capacity for compassion and love towards others is an indication that we are growing spiritually. Compassion and love for others is a sure measure of holiness.

Noel Bordador is a queer Episcopal priest in the Philippines. He runs Nazareth House, a Catholic Worker House of Hospitality for persons with HIV/AIDS in Manila.

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