*24th of October 2022*

*Monday in the 30th week of Ordinary Time, Year 11*

_Eph. 4:32-5:8_

_Lk. 13:10-17_

*Reacting to God's favours and blessings*

The gospel reading this morning presents us with Jesus' healing of a woman who has been disabled for eighteen years. The scripture says that she was bent over. Through words and laying of hands on her, the woman stood erect and glorified God. To this the synagogue official was indignant, insisting that no work should be done on a Sabbath. 

St Paul in the *first reading* exhorted the Ephesians to be imitators of Christ through compassion, kindness, forgiveness and thanksgiving.

The *Psalmist* of today reminds us to behave like God as his very dear children. It goes on to praise those who act in Godly manner.

Friends, the liturgy of today puts an important question to us; 'How do I respond and react to God's blessings and favours to me and to others?' 

Jesus having healed this woman today, the first thing that came to her mind or her immediate response was glorifying God. Luke towards the end of the gospel also told us that the people were overjoyed. This is our call, to rejoice and give thanks on what the Lord has done. Our lives should be consumed with thanksgiving.

•Unfortunately, there was someone who tried to spoil this beautiful moment; the synagogue official. The scripture told us that he became indignant at what Jesus was doing. For him, Jesus was breaking the Law. Indignation is annoyance or anger provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment. In this case, this man was indignant that Christ broke the Law or treated the Law unfairly. Friends, sometimes in our lives, we become so absorbed in our issues and things that don't matter so much that we miss the moments of grace and favour from God. Our emotional engagement can blind us from seeing the works of God in our lives and that of others. 

•Finally friends, the woman in the gospel reading teaches us not to be weighed down by our problems. Having suffered for eighteen years, she did not resort to self pity, she didn't choose to avoid the crowds, she did not choose bitterness either, rather, she still went to the Synagogue on a day Jesus was preaching. There, although she didn't see Jesus because she was bent over, Christ saw her and gave her the healing she needed "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Do not let those dark moments of your life weigh you down, keep pushing and making yourself available for God.

*God's grace upon us*

(Fr. Camillus Nwaigwe)