“Man only escapes from the laws of this world in lightning flashes. Instants when everything stands still, instants of contemplation, of pure intuition, of mental void, of acceptance of the moral void. It is through such instants that he is capable of the supernatural.
Whoever endures a moment of the void either receives the supernatural bread or falls. It is a terrible risk, but one that must be run–even during the instants when hope fails.”
Simone Weil
In many of the healings of Jesus, the sick person asked Jesus for healing and Jesus took pity on him, healed him and a response of faith was usually followed. The healing in today’s gospel was totally different.
Firstly, Jesus decided who was going to be healed, someone with a clear disadvantage. Secondly, the response of this person was not faith but accusation. After being accused of violating the Sabbath, he excused himself by going to report Jesus to the Jews. What Jesus got in return for his favour was a death sentence.
This is the story of God and the people of Israel. The story of God and us. What does He get for His favour of revealing His love to us? The death sentence of his Son.
What is interesting is that in this – Jesus managed to reveal himself as He really is, God himself. God who rested on the Sabbath is the only one who can continue to work on the Sabbath. Jesus was working the work of God, completing His creation. He was persecuted for making Himself equal to God, which was revealed in his working on the Sabbath.
The difference between the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian Sunday is that while Jews imitate God in His resting on the Sabbath day, Christians join God in His work of redemption every Sunday as partakers of the Eucharist which is the memorial of the supreme work of God.
