Comments on: The Healing of the Woman with an Infirmity of Eighteen Years on the Sabbath Day Hypocrisy Three parts to an Orthodox Feast:Preparation, Celebration, Apodosis http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/12/12/the-healing-of-the-woman-with-an-infirmity-of-eighteen-years-on-the-sabbath-day-hypocrisy-three-parts-to-an-orthodox-feastpreparation-celebration-apodosis/ McKinney TX Homilies, scripture commentary, spiritual reflections Tue, 21 May 2013 19:41:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: seraphimholland http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/12/12/the-healing-of-the-woman-with-an-infirmity-of-eighteen-years-on-the-sabbath-day-hypocrisy-three-parts-to-an-orthodox-feastpreparation-celebration-apodosis/comment-page-1/#comment-2499 seraphimholland Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:47:09 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=1501#comment-2499 You must really like this story, since it made the cut for your list of 8! You must really like this story, since it made the cut for your list of 8!

]]> By: Deborah http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/12/12/the-healing-of-the-woman-with-an-infirmity-of-eighteen-years-on-the-sabbath-day-hypocrisy-three-parts-to-an-orthodox-feastpreparation-celebration-apodosis/comment-page-1/#comment-2489 Deborah Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:56:01 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=1501#comment-2489 "We are bent to earth, we investigate earthy things, we are so attentive to what consists our earth life that we don’t notice how low we bend. and at a certain moment we already cannot unbend….without God’s help." Now it is my turn to say thank you, once again (I don't think it is possible to say it too often)--to Father for his inspiring teaching, to Natalia for these words and to the Lord for sending us teachers, guides and helpers of our souls. “We are bent to earth, we investigate earthy things, we are so attentive to what consists our earth life that we don’t notice how low we bend. and at a certain moment we already cannot unbend….without God’s help.”

Now it is my turn to say thank you, once again (I don’t think it is possible to say it too often)–to Father for his inspiring teaching, to Natalia for these words and to the Lord for sending us teachers, guides and helpers of our souls.

]]> By: Natalia Arzhantseva http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/12/12/the-healing-of-the-woman-with-an-infirmity-of-eighteen-years-on-the-sabbath-day-hypocrisy-three-parts-to-an-orthodox-feastpreparation-celebration-apodosis/comment-page-1/#comment-2487 Natalia Arzhantseva Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:57:09 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=1501#comment-2487 Thank you, Father, for this wonderful lesson, and Deborah - wonderful commentary. I never happened to think it all over under this angle. I never saw myself in this bent woman...And now, as i often happens, I am surprise how could I not notice, it's so simple, so vivid! But better late than never. I am glad that I see now this metaphor, and it corresponds so much to me. We are bent to earth, we investigate earthy things, we are so attentive to what consists our earth life that we don't notice how low we bend. and at a certain moment we already cannot unbend....without God's help. This is what a secular world & our allegiance to it makes with us. We, born to be straight, free, aimed at Heaven, become moral cripples, and God's image in us is distorted to a great extent...But everything is possible with God. Thus I have the hope to unbend! Thank you, Father, for this wonderful lesson, and Deborah – wonderful commentary. I never happened to think it all over under this angle. I never saw myself in this bent woman…And now, as i often happens, I am surprise how could I not notice, it’s so simple, so vivid! But better late than never. I am glad that I see now this metaphor, and it corresponds so much to me.

We are bent to earth, we investigate earthy things, we are so attentive to what consists our earth life that we don’t notice how low we bend. and at a certain moment we already cannot unbend….without God’s help. This is what a secular world & our allegiance to it makes with us. We, born to be straight, free, aimed at Heaven, become moral cripples, and God’s image in us is distorted to a great extent…But everything is possible with God. Thus I have the hope to unbend!

]]> By: Deborah http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/12/12/the-healing-of-the-woman-with-an-infirmity-of-eighteen-years-on-the-sabbath-day-hypocrisy-three-parts-to-an-orthodox-feastpreparation-celebration-apodosis/comment-page-1/#comment-2484 Deborah Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:05:08 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=1501#comment-2484 Father, Bless, I have not thought about this story since I was a little child and listened to it for the first (and as far as I can recall, only) time in my Baptist Sunday School class. Since then I've read through the gospels more than once, but for some reason, since hearing the story as a child, it passed by unnoticed by me. Now it comes back to my remembrance, decades later, as another metaphor for my life. I was bent low for far longer than 18 years. It started gradually, but over the years, the burden of my sins and of life began to weigh so heavily on me that slowly, over time, I was no longer able to stand up straight. Added to this, desiring to help my loved ones, I tried to carry their burdens, as well. But I was like an eager, foolish 90 pound weakling entering a gym. Ignorant of his weakness and infirmity, without seeking advice or a trainer, he tries to hoist the heavy weights that even experienced weight lifters struggle to lift. What happens? If he is lucky, he only ends up bent over, temporarily crippled with a strained back. But far worse injury is possible... Thanks be to God for his indescribably mercy! He saw my suffering, he called me to Him and loosed me from my infirmity. The healing process is slow from my earthly perspective. In many ways I am still bent. But He now stands before me and even bent over I can see His precious pierced feet. Slowly but surely, He is lifting my head to see more and more of Him. One day I will be made entirely straight and will see His blessed face--but even now, with my still crooked body, I am glorifying God for His healing and His unfathomable love and mercy towards me. Father, Bless,

I have not thought about this story since I was a little child and listened to it for the first (and as far as I can recall, only) time in my Baptist Sunday School class. Since then I’ve read through the gospels more than once, but for some reason, since hearing the story as a child, it passed by unnoticed by me. Now it comes back to my remembrance, decades later, as another metaphor for my life.

I was bent low for far longer than 18 years. It started gradually, but over the years, the burden of my sins and of life began to weigh so heavily on me that slowly, over time, I was no longer able to stand up straight. Added to this, desiring to help my loved ones, I tried to carry their burdens, as well. But I was like an eager, foolish 90 pound weakling entering a gym. Ignorant of his weakness and infirmity, without seeking advice or a trainer, he tries to hoist the heavy weights that even experienced weight lifters struggle to lift. What happens? If he is lucky, he only ends up bent over, temporarily crippled with a strained back. But far worse injury is possible…

Thanks be to God for his indescribably mercy! He saw my suffering, he called me to Him and loosed me from my infirmity. The healing process is slow from my earthly perspective. In many ways I am still bent. But He now stands before me and even bent over I can see His precious pierced feet. Slowly but surely, He is lifting my head to see more and more of Him. One day I will be made entirely straight and will see His blessed face–but even now, with my still crooked body, I am glorifying God for His healing and His unfathomable love and mercy towards me.

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