Woman Set Free from a Spirit of Bondage

Woman Set Free from a Spirit of Bondage
Pentecost 11; Luke 13:10-17
She is not the only afflicted one
who is seen by Jesus and called over
on the Sabbath in a place of worship
to be set free and speak out her praise.
They said healing was work, not for Sabbath.
Would Jesus be ritually clean for worship,
laying hands on a woman, one possessed by a spirit?
By what right did she stand there praising God?

She is not the only afflicted one,
bent over, unable to stand straight,
crippled for years but still faithful.
For centuries, women have bent over cleaning,
polishing brass and trimming candles,
teaching children and counting money,
playing the organ and praying to be heard.
There are some who know he has called them,
but have not been allowed to respond,
though they longed for the laying on of hands,
and empowerment to praise God in public.

She is not the only afflicted one
whom Jesus names a daughter of Abraham,
bound by Satan for many long years,
and on the Sabbath set free from that bondage.
She is not the only afflicted one
to hear and be healed by this story,
by the words of Jesus to this woman,
but some remain unhealed and bent over,
while authorities call their bondage proper worship.
	Barbara Messner 17/08/2022