In the last section of Luke 5 and beginning of Luke 6 Jesus is preaching primarily to the Jewish religious leaders. His message was not one that they wanted to hear: that the laws they had added on to God’s laws were too much. Those additional laws placed an undue burden on the people trying to follow God’s laws. There were so many laws that the average person couldn’t even know all of them, much less follow them. These laws were not helps, they were hindrances. It takes a little time for Jesus to get through to the religious leaders, but when they finally understand that Jesus is criticizing them and their rules they turn on Jesus. They close their hearts to Jesus’ teaching and look only for ways to trip him up. For Reflection: Our God is not a god of “gotcha” – constantly looking for ways to trip us up on the technicalities. He is not looking for ways to keep us out of his kingdom but for ways to help us into the kingdom. Let us keep our hearts, our eyes and our ears open to see what God is saying to us. Let us pray. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. . . Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12).
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Jesus continues to fulfill his proclamation of Luke 4:18-19 as he eats with tax collectors and others (sinners) at the home of Levi, himself a tax collector. He was preaching the good news to those who thought themselves rich but who in fact were poor. The tax collectors were considered public sinners because they cooperated with the Roman occupiers in collecting taxes and because often they were dishonest and collected more than they had a right to charge. It was the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, to whom Jesus had already preached the good news, who were criticizing Jesus for eating with Levi and his guests. Obviously they hadn't taken the good news to heart. Jesus explains to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:27-31). This statement leaves the pharisees and professors with two options: either they can consider themselves the righteous ones who are not called or they can consider themselves to be sinners who are called. For Reflection: Would I rather be inside eating at the banquet with Jesus and the public sinners or outside asking questions? Let us pray. Jesus, you came to call all people, even me. Help me to overcome my doubts which keep me on the outside, questioning you, so that I may enter through the door and sit down with you. (This theme began on September 25, 2014. Photo: Copyright: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_surasaki'>surasaki / 123RF Stock Photo</a>) I call them the roofers. We don't know their names. They took their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing. When they found they couldn't get into the house where he was, they climbed up on the roof, took the roof apart and made a hole big enough to get their friend through on his mat. Then they hauled him up to the roof and lowered him right in front of Jesus. Their actions show determination and grit, love and faith. They couldn't get in because the house was full of Pharisees and teachers of the law who were listening to Jesus teach. And the Scripture says "the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick" (Luke 5:17). Were none of the pharisees or the law professors in need of healing? His reputation preceded him. They knew Jesus healed people. While the Pharisees and the professors doubted, the roofers believed. The paralyzed man believed. Jesus saw their belief and healed. The man got up rejoicing. "Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God" (5:26). I bet the roofers put the roof back together before they left. For Reflection: Am I listening to the teaching of Jesus but not believing in his power? Am I desperate enough to get to Jesus that I'll tear off a roof? What has come between me and Jesus? Let us pray. Jesus, I'm hungry for your touch, your love, your healing. I don't want anything to stand between us. I need you desperately. There are fearsome diseases today. Before a medical professional treats someone with Ebola they are double-gloved and gowned. Patients are placed in isolation units. No one actually touches them or any of their bodily fluids. Jesus took a different approach. He touched people. Just a couple of examples are Luke 4:40, "laying his hands on each one", and 5:13, "Jesus reached out and touched the man" (the leper). Jesus didn't always touch people; more often he spoke a word of command to them. But it happened often enough that the practice of touching and even anointing with oil was handed on by the disciples as being of importance (James 5:14). For Reflection: Not many of us are called upon to treat people with contagious diseases. But is there anyone we are treating as if they were contagious? Anyone we don't want to reach out to or extend charity toward? The immigrant? The unemployed? Our next door neighbor? Let us pray. Jesus, why am I afraid to touch . . .? Would you help me overcome that, please? "Hazmat suit c1918" by H. J. Hickman - http://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/V0030067.html. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - |
AliceI started this website and blog on May 1, 2012. I am a Catholic who has been in ministry for many years. I first developed what I would call a close relationship with Jesus in the early 1970s. Ever since then I have been praying with people for healing and other needs. It is because I have seen so many of these prayers answered that I am so bold as to offer to pray for you individually through this website and phone line. Archives
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