Healing the Woman

In today's Gospel Jesus heals a woman at the Synagogue on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17). I have to admit to struggling with this passage this week - not because it is particularly difficult but for two reasons - the first was I did not want to preach another old covenant/ new covenant sermon and the second sprang from this - once that was gone there seemed to be lots of interesting directions to explore.

Here is what finally caught my attention. This was a woman in an environment dominated by men, a woman who does not speak in a place of men's words, a woman who is set free in the very place where so many remain bound to the strictures of the law. All these contrasts are wonderful but then more wonderful is the fact that she does present silently - she does not ask Jesus for anything - she just is who she is in His presence and he calls her to Him.

Of course, she may have hoped that He would help her that day - but she is never given a voice to ask for help - she is simply present.

This says to me a lot about the way we can approach God in a world which is so busy and demanding - it is so hard simply to allow ourselves to be in God's presence without asking and to be still and allowing God to know us as well as God does.

Psalm 139 speaks of God knitting us together before we are born - in our mother's womb. If you have ever done any knitting you will know that you craft each stitch in a garment - you touch every piece of wool which makes the garment. If God knows us that well it is both a comfort but also a challenge. If God knows us that well then sometimes simply being in God's presence and allowing God is probably better than the endless chatter which we often prefer.

This woman is a great example of being other, of being apart and of simply being - both a challenge and paradigm for us.