Stretch out your hand

Sisters and brothers in Christ, I want to share this commentary from Saint Ambrose on today's (9/5) Gospel when Jesus tell the man with the withered hand to “Stretch out your hand.” Saint Ambrose said:

"Then you heard the words of the Lord, saying, 'Stretch forth your hand.' That is the common and universal remedy. You who think that you have a healthy hand beware lest it is withered by greed or by sacrilege. Hold it out often. Hold it out to the poor person who begs you. Hold it out to help your neighbor, to give protection to a widow, to snatch from harm one whom you see subjected to unjust insult. Hold it out to God for your sins. The hand is stretched forth; then it is healed. . ."

This is what Jesus points out to the Pharisees, teaching them that God's intention for the Sabbath is "to do good" and "to save life" rather than "to do evil" or "to destroy life." Not only on the Sabbath by all the time, especially when we see injustice happening in our society. We do not let the problems of the world overwhelm us, rather - as Fr. Charlie said in his homily on Sunday - we do what we can in our community to help one person, because that is the person that God has led to us so we can show that person the love and mercy of God.

Finally, on this Labor Day, I want to share this statement from the U.S. Bishops:

“This Labor Day, let us reflect on how we can build a more just economy by promoting the welfare of working families through both charitable works and through advocacy for improved policies such as expanding the Child Tax Credit and passing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Advancing these two policies would have a profound impact on family stability, especially for families who are financially vulnerable,” said Archbishop Coakley.  

In considering the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe v. Wade, he continued, “This unique moment necessitates a society and an economy that supports marriages, families, and women; it demands that all of us reach across political aisles and work diligently to reframe social policies in ways that are pro-woman, pro-family, pro-worker and, thus, authentically pro-life.”

Here is a link to the full statement: https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/labor-day-2022-statement-focuses-promoting-welfare-working-families

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Gospel of the Day

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up and stand before us.”
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
“Stretch out your hand.”
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.