Creating a liberating mission for a bound over world.

We read about the woman today and we read how she is bent over and bound by Satan. My mind opened an image of how the world is bent over and bound by Satan. We walk down the street and see so many people bent over and bound to a screen, to their finances or to their addicitions in ways that numb us to the gospel. Jesus actively works to liberate a woman who has been marginalised. Our mission action plan is our parish way of responding to the the call to liberate people, joining him in helping those that are bent over to stand tall and to removing the shackles that bind us to things that numb our heart, minds and souls to the glorious reality of God’s work and presence in the world around us. Our mission can't just be about saving souls with kind word.  It must be about feeding the hungry, advocating for justice, welcoming the outcast. We proclaim freedom in word *and* deed. Jesus doesn't call her "that crippled woman." He calls her a "daughter of Abraham." This is a title of honour, covenant, and belonging. He affirms her inherent worth and her place in God's family. Reaching the marginalized isn't about pity from a position of power. It’s about recognizing family. It’s declaring that every person, regardless of their brokenness, is made in God's image and is deeply valued by Him. Jesus died on the cross for all human kind. That’s how Jesus sees creation. What if we had a mindset like Jesus. What if we don't reach out to "the less fortunate.", but instead reach out to our brothers and sisters we haven't met yet and are in need. How does that change the way we think about mission. Does it move your thoughts from seeing people as a project to seeing them as family? And if you see them as family, how does that change the things we do and the way we act as a community that makes room for all. Jesus missional success in today’s reading shows how people rejoice when they see God’s redemptive and liberating power, how healing and restoration of people who are seen with dignity and worth leads to immediate praise.  Jesus is still in the synagogue - in our place of worship. He's still looking for the bent-over. He's still asking us, his church, to join his mission of liberation. Pray for God to give you His eyes for the overlooked so you see someone who needs help. Confront and bring to light any hypocrisy that you might have in viewing people as projects that require you to adhere to a rule, or looking down on them in any way. Affirm the identity of others in your minds as the beloved children of God.