Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase from the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.
He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.” (Luke 13:10-17)
FASCINATION: When you read any of the Gospels, it becomes quite clear that people were fascinated by Jesus – both men and women, Jews and Gentiles, fishermen, kings, servants, and of course, the chief priests and Pharisees.
The Pharisees, the most learned class of the Jews, had an odd fascination with Him. Jesus was an upstart preacher, the son of a carpenter. He did not have the pedigree to be of any interest to the Pharisees. Why did they care with whom He ate or what He did on the sabbath? Why were they watching Him so closely?
Was it that He made them question how they were living their lives? Was it because He made them feel uncomfortable?
Jesus is still fascinating after all of these years. The reasons have changed very little: He often makes us feel uncomfortable, makes it known that our lives could be so much richer, and calls us on the carpet for our sins, while offering love, forgiveness, and hope.
Fascinating stuff, don’t you think?
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