Saint Cyprian
Stretch Out Your Hand
Beloved brethren, it is clearly stated in Exodus 20:8; and Deuteronomy 5:12 that keep the Sabbath Holy, and also to the tradition of the Jews, no single work would be done on this day, perhaps, even if it is saving someone's life (exaggerated for emphasis). But in the Gospel today Jesus shows that the law is made for man, and man is made for God. When the law stands in the way of salvation, the Lord dispenses with the law and reaches out with love and compassion.
Jesus knew he was being watched by the scribes and Pharisees but in defiance and with compassion he healed the man with a withered hand. Out of their envy and jealousy, they started finding the way in which they can get rid of Jesus. One important point to learn from this passage is that the sin of envy leads us to irrationality and foolishness. This sin blinds us and leads us to think and say foolish things. This is what the scribes and Pharisees did. Who in their right mind would “accuse” Jesus of doing something as good as healing on the Sabbath? Only those who have become blind by envy. But the Pharisees and Scribes did it because of their envy and jealousy. Do you sometimes have such type of envy? Let us look at our own lives and examine the relationships we have and try to see if envy is present in any of those relationships. Do you see yourself acting and thinking in an irrational way at times towards this person or that?
Nevertheless, Jesus told the man with a withered hand, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored. Today let us also examine our lives and ask ourselves, do we have some withered hands which need Jesus' word to restore them? We can have withered hands in different ways: Ambrose (337-397 AD), comments on this miracle: "Then you heard the words of the Lord, saying, 'Stretch forth your hand.' That is the common and universal remedy. You who think that you have a healthy hand beware lest it is withered by greed or by sacrilege. Hold it out often. Hold it out to the poor person who begs you. Hold it out to help your neighbor, to give protection to a widow, to snatch from harm one whom you see subjected to unjust insult. Hold it out to God for your sins. The hand is stretched forth; then it is healed. Jeroboam's hand withered when he sacrificed to idols; then it stretched out when he entreated God (1 Kings 13:4-6)."
When we refrain from doing good and from loving God and our neighbors in a practical way even on Sabbath then we have withered hands. It is truly right and just to keep Sabbath day holy because we commemorate God's work of redemption in Jesus Christ and the new work of creation accomplished through Christ's death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:17). God's action is a model for us. If God "rested and was refreshed" on the seventh day, we, too, ought to "rest" and let others, especially the poor, "be refreshed" as well (see Exodus 31:17; 23:12). Taking "our sabbath rest" is a way of expressing honor to God for all that he has done for us. Such "rest" however does not exempt us from our love for our neighbor. If we truly love the Lord above all else, then the love of God will overflow to love of neighbor as well. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) said: "The charity of truth seeks holy leisure; the necessity of charity accepts just work."
How can we make Sunday a day holy to the Lord while loving and serving God and his people? First, by refraining from unnecessary work and from activities that hinder the worship we owe to God. We can also perform works of mercy, such as humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the neglected. And we ought to seek appropriate relaxation of mind and body as well. The joy of the Lord's Day is a great gift to refresh and strengthen us in our love of God and of neighbor (Nehemiah 8:10). It is only when we do this that we make our hands stretched and heal from withered hands.
Reflect today on how stretched your hand is. Let us ask for healing of our all-withered hands for the many times we have engaged our hands in many bad acts which have withered our hands and secondly, resolve to use our healed hands in saving the lives of others through helping the needy, giving to the poor, and doing any works of charity. In this way we will not only save lives, but we will also fulfil God's law of love.
Let us Pray.
Lord Jesus, stretch my hands, transform my heart with your love that I may freely serve my neighbor for his good and find joy and refreshment in the celebration of Sunday as the Lord's Day. Amen
Be blessed
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