“Stretch Out Your Hand”

“Stretch Out Your Hand” 

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Piety

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings and blessed him. And Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. His name first means righteous king, and he was also “king of Salem,” that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.  Hebrews 7:1-3 

He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent.

Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. Mark 3:3-5

Study

The author of the First Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews presents a reflection on the everlasting priesthood of Christ (Heb 7:1–28).  This priesthood fulfills the Old Testament promise and provides the meaning God ultimately intended in the Old Testament sacrifices -- the extraordinary gift of Christ on the cross. 

In the Good News, Jesus is already disturbing the Pharisees by curing the disabled man on the Sabbath. Jesus directly challenges the man with two commandments.

 

“Come up here before us.”  “Stretch out your hand.” 

These become the obstacles the man must overcome to find healing and comfort.  However, those commandments also are aimed at the Pharisees and all who hear.  Jesus challenges them (us?) to again come up before him – to get out of the comfort zone of their old laws and customs. He asks them also to “stretch” to be restored and renewed.

Stretching is a loaded word in the Bible.  We first encounter it in Genesis 22:10 when Abraham “stretched out his hand and took the knife to kill his son, Isaac.  He accepted God’s command to give up everything he held dear in his life to be obedient to God.  

In Exodus, Yahweh commands Moses to stretch out his hands over Egypt’s waters to bring on the various plagues that ultimately combined to convince Pharaoh to free the Jews and allow them to make their way to the Promised Land. Along the way, faith in the Lord’s commandments also helped Moses divide the waters to escape the army in pursuit of the people.

The people often stretch out their hands to God in prayer and supplication as God reaches back.

 

I was ready to respond to those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said: Here I am! Here I am! To a nation that did not invoke my name. I have stretched out my hands all day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own designs. (Isaiah 65:1-2) 

Throughout his ministry, Jesus stretches out his hand to offer blessings and healing to those who “come before him.”

Jesus stretches his arms on the cross.  He chooses to take the nails for our sins.  His outstretch ed arms embrace the thief to his side. And his arms give a final embrace to behold his mother. 

After Easter, in one final challenge to Peter and us, he continues to ask us to stretch ourselves, getting out of our comfort zone to go like Job where we don’t want to go.

 

“Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” John 21:18

Action

Before any athlete performs, they stretch their muscles to warm up to the challenge ahead. 

Although today is a High Holy Day in American Civil Religion, it is just another ordinary day in Church Time.  Yet, we cannot ignore the challenge Jesus presents.  Are we willing to come before him and surrender our plan to his?  Are we willing like the disabled man, like Abraham, like Moses, and like Peter, to stretch out our hands and do what the Lord asks us to do, even if it forces us to surrender our desires?

Can we solemnly swear on this day to say to the Lord what we hear so often in Mass and Sacred Scripture?

“I do.  Here I am.  I come to do your will. So, help me, God!”