Daily Gospel Reflection for October 24, 2016

Today’s Gospel: Luke 13, 10-17

Like the woman in today’s Gospel, we are often crippled in various ways—by sin, physical ailments, loss, heartbreak, fear, depression, isolation, spiritual attack, and other sufferings. We sometimes bear incredible pain for a long time and we begin to lose hope. Often, we can scarcely function under the weight of our suffering and sin. But Jesus offers us freedom. He speaks to each of us: “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” What beautiful words! I am set free. You are set free. We are all set free.

Jesus works to give us freedom in his perfect time. In the Gospel, he heals on the Sabbath and is criticized. However, he states, “This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the Sabbath day from this bondage?” There are no boundaries to God’s love and his desire for our good…other than the limits that we, in our humanity, try to impose on him. We often fail to receive the freedom he offers because we think we don’t deserve it or we don’t trust that he truly wants to give it.

Let us be like the woman in this Gospel reading: “He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.” When we encounter the Lord’s desire to heal us, may we eagerly receive his gift and stand up straight after being bowed down under the weight of sin and suffering. Let us stand firm in freedom and joyfully praise the Lord! May our lives glorify God; may our freedom inspire others to seek the Lord.

Every day is a good day for resurrection! “Woman, you are set free…”

Ponder:

In what ways am I crippled by sin or suffering? Will I choose to say yes today to the freedom Jesus offers?

Pray:

Lord, please reveal to me the ways in which I am bound by sin and suffering. I beg you to free me so that I may experience the new life you desire for me. May my life of freedom glorify you!

Copyright 2016 Megan Quinn

Megan Quinn is a Catholic wife and mother of three living in NC. She has almost always possessed a desire to serve the Lord and has done so as a Catholic school teacher, a core member with Life Teen youth ministry, a missionary with NET Ministries, and a coordinator of Faith Formation. She is trying to learn to love well.

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