10/26/2026 (Monday) Today’s Gospel reading: Luke 13:10-17

10 Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
11 And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
12 When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
13 He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
14 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.”
15 The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering?
16 This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?”
17 When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

10/26/2026 (Monday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Luke 13:10-17

Theme: The Healing Power of Jesus

Jesus encounters a woman who has been crippled for eighteen years and cannot stand upright. Despite opposition from the synagogue leader, Jesus heals her on the Sabbath, restoring her dignity and inspiring the people to glorify God. This encounter reminds us that God’s compassion is greater than human restrictions and that no suffering person is beyond His loving care.

There are four things we must remember from this Gospel reading:

1. C – Compassion Must Come Before Condemnation
Jesus saw a woman whose suffering had lasted eighteen long years. While others might have become accustomed to her condition, Jesus recognized her pain and responded with compassion. He did not ignore her suffering or treat her as someone unworthy of attention.

How often do we see people struggling and immediately judge them without understanding their circumstances? We may criticize their weaknesses, question their decisions, or blame them for their difficulties. Yet we rarely know the burdens they carry in silence.

True compassion begins when we learn to see people through the eyes of Jesus. Before condemning someone, let us offer understanding. Before pointing out their mistakes, let us extend kindness. Sometimes, a little compassion can become the beginning of another person’s healing.

2. U – Understand the Purpose of God’s Love
The synagogue leader became angry because Jesus healed the woman on the Sabbath. He was more concerned about the rules than about the person who had suffered for years.
Rules and traditions have their rightful place, but they must never become excuses for withholding love. Religious practices are meaningful when they lead us closer to God and help us care for our neighbors.

We can attend Mass, pray the Rosary, join prayer meetings, and participate in religious activities, but we must also ask ourselves: Are we becoming more loving, forgiving, and understanding?

Faith is not measured only by how faithfully we follow religious practices. It is also revealed by how we treat people, especially those who are weak, forgotten, or difficult to love. God’s love should never be a barrier that separates people; it should be a bridge that brings them together.

3. R – Rise Above the Limitations That Hold You Down
For eighteen years, the woman lived with a condition that prevented her from standing upright. Imagine the physical discomfort, emotional struggles, and social difficulties she must have experienced.

Yet her story did not end with suffering. Through Jesus, she experienced a new beginning.
We, too, carry burdens that sometimes bend our spirits: fear, guilt, disappointment, loneliness, and painful memories. These burdens may have followed us for years, convincing us that nothing will ever change.

But our present struggles do not have to determine our future. With God’s grace, we can rise above discouragement, learn from our failures, and discover strength we never knew we possessed.

Healing may come suddenly or gradually. Sometimes God changes our circumstances; sometimes He changes our hearts so that we can face them with renewed courage.

4. E – Embrace Every Opportunity to Extend Healing
After being healed, the woman glorified God. Her restored life became a testimony to God’s goodness. We may not possess the power to perform miracles as Jesus did, but we can become instruments of healing through our words and actions. We can comfort the grieving, forgive those who hurt us, encourage the discouraged, and stand beside those who feel alone.

Let us remember that CURE does not always begin with a miracle. Sometimes it begins with a sincere apology, a listening ear, a helping hand, or a prayer offered with love.

May we become people who lift others rather than bring them down, who offer hope rather than condemnation, and who reflect God’s compassion wherever we go.

Ultimately, the greatest CURE is God’s love at work within us. When compassion replaces judgment, understanding overcomes indifference, and faith gives us courage to rise, healing becomes possible. Let Jesus transform our hearts so that we may receive His healing grace and become channels of healing for others.

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