In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Glory be to Jesus Christ.
Today's gospel event and miracle, first of all,
it occurs only in St. Luke's Gospel. But the
way it is structured in St. Luke's Gospel, it
is one of the many times of confrontation between
Jesus and people. who were concerned about the
externals of religion rather than the internals.
So man made laws, so to speak, rather than the
health and well -being of a person. The person
involved here is a woman who has been bent over
for 18 years. St. Luke, as I've said a number
of times, is interested in simple, common, everyday
people when he writes his gospel. Of course,
the other evangelists are as well, but this is
a characteristic of Luke. And also, I think it's
a characteristic of Luke, who tradition tells
us was a physician. And even before his conversion
to Christianity, the traditions tell us, that
he was an unmercenary physician. In other words,
he treated common everyday people who couldn't
afford the medical care that was expected from
some physicians. The woman is bent over. Now,
most of us, as we grow old, start to stoop and
bend over. I'm a pretty good example of that.
I have to learn to stand up straight. I'm reminded
by people very close to me, stand up straight.
But with this woman, of course, it was something
chronic and something very severe. Very likely,
she suffered from what we call nowadays scoliosis.
I know a number of people who have that, and
I'm sure many of you do, but it is, first of
all, in severe instances, it's very painful.
And also in most severe instances, because of
being bent over, internal organs don't function
as well as they should, especially the lungs.
So this woman was bent over, probably, you know...
suffered physically, but then also the frustration
and embarrassment of someone like her because
she couldn't stand up straight. And for better
or for worse, people would notice her because
she would stick out in the crowd. But Jesus had
compassion on her. He, let me see. Yes, he had
compassion on her, and he also did this for another
spiritual purpose. And I think that a commentary
by St. Luke in one sentence illustrates the spiritual
significance of this. St. Augustine in the 4th
century... comments on this gospel of St. Luke
and says that the whole world was bent over and
bowed down until the coming of Christ. I don't
think anyone could put it any better than that.
The whole world was bent over and bowed down
until the coming of Christ. When our Lord came,
The disciples of St. John went to him and said,
Are you he who is to come? And he said, Go and
tell John what you have seen and heard. The blind
receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised
up. We saw that a few weeks ago with the... only
son of the widow of Nain, also from Luke. The
poor have the good news preached to them. And
this is a reflection of Psalm 146, which we sing
at almost every divine liturgy. Familiar. The
Lord sets the prisoners free. The Lord opens
the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those
who are bowed down. The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners. He upholds
the widow and the fatherless, but the way of
the wicked he brings to ruin. The Lord lifts
up the world which is bowed down until his coming.
The Lord also lifts us up individually. Whether
it's a physical illness, but I think even more
importantly, spiritual illnesses. First and foremost,
sin. The Lord forgives our sins when we are bowed
down and weighed over by sin and the guilt. And
when we confess our sins to the Lord, he forgives
us. So it is being bowed down by sin and also,
I would say, by discouragement. And what comes
to mind to me at this time of season as we prepare
for the Christmas period, the holidays, how many
people are bowed down and depressed. Sorrowful
about something. Maybe it's because they can't
be with their loved ones for Christmas. Or even
more often, the loved ones who have passed on.
The spouse who has died. Maybe the children who
have died. So people at a time of joy, people
a lot of times are bowed down spiritually, emotionally.
depressed. The Lord has the power to lift us
out of sin as well as to cure and heal our emotions
and our feelings. So when we celebrate this event,
we see this, we give glory to God who through
Christ has given the world, lifted up the world.
and given us the power to be lifted up by his
grace from our sins and illnesses and emotional
hurts. To him be glory and honor forever and
ever. Amen.