Bent Woman Fr. James Jorgenson

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.