Jesus Heals the Oppressed, Challenges the Leaders – Oct 27 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr. Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Oct 27, 2025, explaining Luke 13, where Jesus heals a woman crippled by a spirit for 18 years on the Sabbath, challenges the synagogue leader's indignation, and highlights themes of healing, demonic oppression, and spiritual growth.

Father explores the Gospel from Luke 13:10-17, where Jesus heals a woman crippled for 18 years by a spirit, describing her as bound by Satan (Luke 13:16). He explains demonic oppression as an external attack causing physical or mental illness, less severe than possession, citing Job's sufferings and St. Paul's thorn in the flesh as a messenger of Satan (2 Corinthians 12:7). Father notes that illnesses are often natural but can involve spiritual causes, recommending prayer from those with charismatic gifts, sacraments, sacramentals like Lourdes water, and healthy living, as God desires wholeness. He emphasizes that sufferings are gifts, united to the crucifix. Drawing on Pope St. Gregory the Great, Father interprets the woman's bent posture as a sinner's fixation on earthly desires, unable to look heavenward, until Jesus straightens her spiritually to see Him. St. Bede views her as a faithful soul now gazing at Christ's face. Shifting to the challenge, the synagogue leader's indignation (Luke 13:14) stems from envy, as St. Cyril of Alexandria notes, using zeal for the Sabbath to conceal resentment over Christ's glory. St. John Chrysostom adds the ruler was troubled by Christ's glorification, not the Sabbath breach. Father warns of hypocrisy, quoting St. Basil on assuming false characters, where public persona hides private ill will. Another issue is legalism, limiting God to rigid boxes; Jesus proclaims liberty for the oppressed (Luke 4:18), including from oppressive laws like Sabbath restrictions on good deeds. Father cautions against rule-focus that overlooks God's healing work, urging openness to healing in our lives and others, and embracing challenges to grow, invoking Our Lady's intercession.

For Further Reading:
Luke 13:10-16 - NAB - Jesus heals woman on Sabbath - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/13?10
2 Corinthians 12:7 - NAB - Thorn in the flesh from Satan - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/12?7
Luke 4:18 - NAB - Spirit of the Lord to liberate oppressed - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/4?18
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1501 - The Healing Miracles of Christ - Text: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a5.htm#1501
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1673 - Deliverance from Evil Spirits - Text: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c1a2.htm#1673
Catechism of the Catholic Church 2174 - Observance of the Lord's Day - Text: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a3.htm#2173

Ave Maria!

Mass: Monday 30th Week of Ordinary Time - Wkdy
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/102725.cfm
1st: rom 8:12-17
Resp: psa 68:2, 4, 6-7, 20-21
Gsp: luk 13:10-17

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1535

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