Thursday, April 5
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Come forward.’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?’ But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. –Mark 3:1-6
Usually, when I preach on one of the healing stories in the gospels, I focus on what happens in the interaction between Jesus and the individual seeking healing. Rarely do I pay attention to what happens afterwards. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday remind me that those responses are a crucial part of the story.
Over and over again, Jesus’ acts of healing lead to controversy. He heals on the Sabbath, and the religious leaders accuse him of ignoring God’s laws. He promises forgiveness, and the scribes accuse him of blasphemy—but what they are really concerned about is their own power to interpret the rules for how sins can be forgiven. As John tells the story, Jesus raises a man from the dead, and the authorities are so frightened by his power that they plot to put him to death.
The irony is bitter. Because Jesus offers new life, he is targeted for death. His gift of healing is threatening to those who fear losing their own power and to those who are invested in things staying the same.
At first glance, the response of those religious authorities seems callous and absurd. How can they oppose healing? But it’s actually a very natural human response. Healing means change, and change means loss, and very few of us deal well with loss. Healing may change our identity and it may change our relationships—and those are difficult things to change.
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday challenge us to ask ourselves how we might be threatened by Christ’s healing power. When we ask that question honestly, when we acknowledge our very natural human response, we then have choices. We can choose to pray for courage to embrace change. We can choose to be open to Christ’s healing spirit. –Debbie Clark
Awaken us, we pray, to our fear. Free us, we pray, from our fear. Open us to your healing spirit. Amen.