A man with a withered hand

JESUS entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Him closely to see if He would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse Him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then He said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against Him to put Him to death.

REFLECTION GRIEVED AT THEIR HARDNESS OF HEART. The Gospel is the concluding story to the series of controversies narrated in Mk 1:21–2:28. In spite of what He has done for the man with unclean spirit, the leper, the paralytic, the man with a withered hand, and the marginalized in society, Jesus is continually condemned rather than appreciated. The Pharisees conspire with the Herodians to destroy Him. Jesus is grieved at their hardness of heart.

Among the Jews, the heart represents the whole person. Confronted with Jesus’ power that heals the man with a withered hand, the Pharisees refuse to accept the reality. They are obsessed with their intention to do away with Jesus.

Hardness of heart means refusal to accept Jesus’ offer of salvation. His desire is to make us whole again, to live a happy life. Fixed ideas and prejudices can blind us to the goodness of others.

Lord, open my eyes that I may see the wonders of Your law and the goodness of other people.

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: books@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.