We will continue with St. Luke, our physician and disciple, as he documents Jesus’ approach to another disease and sickness.
Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity. And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. (Luke 13:10-14)
While the other woman was aware of Jesus’ whereabouts and had the courage to approach and touch Him, this woman had been suffering from an illness for eighteen years, rendering her unable to stand up straight. Despite her broken body, she continued to attend the synagogues, hoping to find solace in comforting words that could at least soothe her soul. She had grown accustomed to her ailment and was no longer actively seeking healing, but deep inside her, a glimmer of hope remained. It was this hope that propelled her to the synagogues every Sabbath, yearning to hear the words of God.
“A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory” (Matthew 12:20).
In the eyes of the world, a bruised reed holds no value—it serves no purpose other than being cut down and cast aside. Similarly, the wick of a candle that is on the verge of extinguishing emits a faint heat and smoke, and its light slowly fades away.
Many of us have become accustomed to watching porn and have fallen victim to this habit for a long time. It has reached a point where we have become like a smoldering wick; our light has vanished, and all that remains is smoke. There is only a small amount of heat that keeps the human part of us alive.
We have become like that woman, convinced that there is no healing for our misery. We stopped asking for it altogether. However, a small flicker of warmth remains in our dying bodies, compelling us to seek comfort and listen to words that offer solace.
Saint Augustine writes in his Confessions, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You”(Augustine [397–400] 2006, 1.1).
For eighteen long years, this woman, despite her immense suffering, faithfully attended the synagogues. I can’t fathom the endurance required for her to make that journey from her home.
Did she expect Jesus’ presence? She was accustomed to hearing His name. Perhaps she hoped that He would eventually notice her. Would she be able to see His face? She hadn’t seen many faces recently; her bowed body made it difficult. St. Luke, as a physician, described her case by noting that she couldn’t lift herself up.
Now, without her even asking, Jesus saw her. He witnessed her effort and struggle. He looked deep into her heart and observed how she carried a heavy burden yet still tried to go and pray and listen to God’s Word. His compassionate heart couldn’t ignore that.
“When Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, ‘Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity’” (Luke 13:12).
In the Greek translation, this means,
“Woman, you have freed yourself of that weakness of yours.”
Perhaps we may think that being sick for eighteen years is a long time, but some of us have been sick for even longer. Some have tried various methods to feel better, while others simply live day by day, with pornography being a part of their lives. However, we realize that porn no longer brings us happiness; yet, we continue to indulge in it, knowing the negative effects it has on us. This situation reminds me of what St. Paul said about the struggle between the body and the soul, and how we often find ourselves doing things we don’t want to do. If you are currently in this phase, I encourage you to keep praying, as God will see your efforts and reward you with the healing you are seeking.
The Neighbor
There was once a kind neighbor who loved cooking. Next to him lived a friend who always ate out.
One day, that friend received a message that his family was on their way, and he urgently needed food for them. Desperate, he started knocking on his neighbor’s door, asking for some wheat so he could bake something for his family. However, his neighbor didn’t answer. He knocked again and again until, finally, the door opened. To the friend’s surprise, the neighbor stood there holding a big pie. He handed it to his friend and explained, “I may have delayed answering the door, but it’s because I was busy making this pie for you. I could have given you the wheat, but I knew you’d prefer something ready-made. I saved you the hassle.”
My dear fighter, please do not believe that God has closed His door and cannot hear your cry. Do not think that your prayers and knocking go unheard. Do not think that He enjoys seeing you suffer or waits for you to ask multiple times before intervening. He has already heard your heart, even before your words, and He knows what you are going to say. Keep going to Him with the persistence of the woman with the bent back—never give up.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Keep going to Him, for He has promised to rise and grant your desires, even if you are not yet His friend. It is through your unwavering persistence that He will arise and fulfill your requests. This, my dear, is your battle—to remain persistent in your prayers. Never let the fire within you extinguish.
WinThisBattle!
