DAY ELEVEN - FEBRUARY 23, 2023
Mark 3: 1-6
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
REFLECTION
Today we read the story of Jesus healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day. We see that Jesus was not afraid to do the hard thing, even if it meant going against the established religious leaders of his time. The Pharisees were strict in their interpretation of the law and they believed that it was wrong to heal on the Sabbath day. However, Jesus knew that the man with the withered hand needed his help and so he went ahead and healed him, even though it was a controversial move.
This story reminds us that sometimes, doing the hard thing is the right thing. We may be faced with difficult decisions in our lives, but we should always be willing to do what is right, even if it means going against popular opinion or established norms. We should be willing to stand up for what is right, even when it is not the easiest thing to do.
You've probably heard the story about a man who was walking through a park and saw a butterfly struggling to break free from its cocoon. He watched the butterfly for a while, hoping that it would break free on its own, but it was clear that it was struggling. The man then decided to help the butterfly and carefully began to cut away the cocoon. The butterfly emerged, but its wings were small and weak. The man soon realized that by cutting away the cocoon, he had prevented the butterfly from building up the strength it needed to fly. Sometimes, doing the hard thing is necessary for growth and strength. We may be tempted to take shortcuts or make things easier for ourselves or for others, but in doing so, we may prevent growth and strength from developing.
Let us be willing to do what is right, even when it is not the easiest thing to do. It might be exactly what we need to take our next step in following Jesus' way, which he never promised would be easy.
Mark 3: 1-6
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
REFLECTION
Today we read the story of Jesus healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day. We see that Jesus was not afraid to do the hard thing, even if it meant going against the established religious leaders of his time. The Pharisees were strict in their interpretation of the law and they believed that it was wrong to heal on the Sabbath day. However, Jesus knew that the man with the withered hand needed his help and so he went ahead and healed him, even though it was a controversial move.
This story reminds us that sometimes, doing the hard thing is the right thing. We may be faced with difficult decisions in our lives, but we should always be willing to do what is right, even if it means going against popular opinion or established norms. We should be willing to stand up for what is right, even when it is not the easiest thing to do.
You've probably heard the story about a man who was walking through a park and saw a butterfly struggling to break free from its cocoon. He watched the butterfly for a while, hoping that it would break free on its own, but it was clear that it was struggling. The man then decided to help the butterfly and carefully began to cut away the cocoon. The butterfly emerged, but its wings were small and weak. The man soon realized that by cutting away the cocoon, he had prevented the butterfly from building up the strength it needed to fly. Sometimes, doing the hard thing is necessary for growth and strength. We may be tempted to take shortcuts or make things easier for ourselves or for others, but in doing so, we may prevent growth and strength from developing.
Let us be willing to do what is right, even when it is not the easiest thing to do. It might be exactly what we need to take our next step in following Jesus' way, which he never promised would be easy.