Keeping the Sabbath Holy

In both of these passages, Jesus heals a person on the Sabbath--the day that God has told us to "keep holy." And on both of these occasions, Jesus is being closely watched and even criticized for violating the Sabbath by healing, deemed as "work." What could possibly be more holy than enabling someone to become wholly who he or she was intended to be by our Creator?! In neither of these cases are we told that the person actually approaches or asks Jesus for healing....they are simply there, whether by accident or design, and Jesus sees them and heals them, also using the healing as a teaching moment for the Pharisees. Jesus chooses the needs of the person over the restrictions of tradition. How often do I truly see someone and allow myself to recognize that person as one who is need? Am I always too intent on what is supposed to be done, whether prescribed by myself or by others, and, consequently, pass by someone? I pray that the Holy Spiriti will increase my awareness of the presence and needs of others by reminding me to "let go and let God."

RELEASE

In these two passages, men who are non-seeing are healed by Jesus--which has occurred previously and will again, whether because it was a common ailment of the time, or because they were prominent opportunities to fulfill the prophecies of healing of the blind by the Messiah. In each episode, the man is released from the life of being an outcast who must beg in order to survive--physically and spiritually. In the first passage, there is much discussion about whose sin caused the man's blindness--that of the man himself, or that of his parents. Jesus explains that neither is at fault, but that God's glory might be proclaimed through his healing. Jesus tells the man to "Go...." and wash, after which he can see. His eyes are opened by and for Jesus, so he could see the Light of the World and witness to His glory, just as our eyes are opened when we are washed in the blood of the Lamb. Even after much questioning by the Pharisees, the man testifies to Jesus having the power of God, and, ultimately, he understands who Jesus is and worships Him.

In the second passage, we don't know much about the man, other than his being blind, mute and demon-possessed. The Pharisees accuse Jesus of being in league with the devil--that being the only way that he could be exorcising demons, but Jesus refutes that by reminding them that Satan cannot work against himself, and that only the power of God can truly accomplish this. In Jesus' day, demons/sin were perceived to be the cause of physical and/or mental ailments. In today's world, we often speak of dealing with our "personal demons," referring more to some persistent force or anxiety that keeps us from being fully the persons we were created to be. Just as in Jesus' time, these problems cannot be driven out other than by God, and then we must  endeavor to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to keep the anxiety from returning and preventing us from glorifying God.

In both of these cases, the men were healed, and, once again, people were amazed. Both situations allowed for God's glory to be displayed, and for us to understand that, not only did physical healing occur, but also spiritual. The men were released from both physical and spiritual bondage--their eyes were opened, but so are ours. When we are healed by, or when we seek to heal by, the power of the Holy Spirit, we ourselves are in the presence of God and, through Him, are displaying His power to the world.

Come, Holy Spirit, and fill our hearts with your fire and love. Help us to remain ever faithful and to share God's glory with everyone we meet. In Jesus' name, Amen.