Grace and Mercy

The woman was sick for eighteen years.
She had lived through sorrow, heartbreak, and tears,
and then one day, at the time for prayer,
she knelt in her anguish and deep despair.

It was then that she felt a gentle touch.
Who, she thought, would dare to do such?
Who would touch a woman like me,
crippled, possessed, as all can see?

His eyes showed compassion as he gave her good news.
“You’re healed of your sickness, you are free to choose
a new way of life as you stand straight and tall.
Stand straight with me now; let’s show them all.”

As she rose to her feet, there was heard a cry
from the synagogue leader standing nearby.
“How dare you heal on the Sabbath day!
You violate Law, you clearly betray

The One who established the sacred Law,
and we, standing here, all clearly saw
that you touched this woman, and that, I contend,
displays the depth of your horrid sin.”

As the now healed woman made her way to the door,
Jesus turned to the man: “There is one thing more.
You are a hypocrite, a fraud and a fake.
You act out religion in order to make

the crowds think you’re holy, above all the rest.
But you, sir, have failed faith’s basic test.
You neglected to love in the midst of her pain.
You do all this for personal gain.”

A murmur was heard to spread through the crowd
until a man finally stood and spoke aloud:
“Today we have heard truth spoken here
and seen love confront irrational fear.

Surely the God we praise in this place
laughs in heaven at the leader’s face
and applauds the courage it took to say
that grace and mercy will show us the way.”

(A reflection on Luke 13:10)