1 Samuel 17:32-33,37,40-51/Ps. 143:1-2,9-10/Mark 3:1-6
Beloved in Christ , in today’s Gospel, we meet Jesus in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Before him stands a man with a withered hand-someone wounded, limited, and silently suffering. Jesus knows that healing him will provoke opposition. He knows eyes are watching, hearts are hardened, and traps are being set. Yet, Jesus chooses to heal.
Why?
Because doing good is never optional for someone who truly loves God.
For Jesus, the Sabbath is not broken by mercy; rather, mercy fulfills the Sabbath. God’s rest is not inactivity but the restoration of life. Jesus asks a question that still challenges us today. “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil? Is it lawful to save life or to destroy it?” Silence follows-because silence often hides fear, pride, and resistance to conversion.
This moment in Mark’s Gospel is very important.
It is early in Jesus’ ministry, yet already we see the shadow of the Cross. From the very beginning, goodness provokes hostility. Love awakens resistance. Truth disturbs those who are comfortable with injustice.
Jesus is not rejected because he did evil, but because he did good.
This is a painful truth for us to accept. We often expect that when we do the right thing, we will be appreciated, affirmed, and rewarded. But the Gospel teaches us otherwise. Sometimes, the more faithfully we live, the more resistance we face. Sometimes honesty costs us friendships. Sometimes forgiveness is misunderstood as weakness. Sometimes standing for what is right makes us unpopular— even within our own families or communities.
Think of a parent who insists on integrity in a system where shortcuts are normal.
Think of a worker who refuses bribery and becomes sidelined.
Think of a Christian who chooses reconciliation instead of revenge and is mocked for it.
Goodness does not always bring applause; sometimes it brings the Cross.
Yet Jesus shows us that goodness is still worth choosing. Why?
Because goodness is not measured by how others respond, but by our faithfulness to God.
Jesus remained faithful to the mission the Father gave him, even when that mission led him to suffering. He teaches us that we do not do God’s will because it benefits us, but because it is God’s will. Obedience rooted in love is already its own reward.
Another powerful detail in today’s Gospel is Jesus’ emotional response. Scripture tells us that Jesus looked around at them “with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart.” This is important. Jesus experiences strong emotions— anger, grief, frustration—but he does not allow them to become destructive. He does not shout.
He does not retaliate. He does not walk away in bitterness. Instead, he channels those emotions into healing. This is a profound lesson for our spiritual lives. Many of us struggle with strong emotions. These can include anger at injustice. They can involve frustration in relationships. We may feel pain from rejection. Grief over loss is another. We can also experience disappointment with people we trusted. Often, we think these emotions are sinful or signs of weak faith. But the Gospel tells us otherwise. Strong emotions are part of our human nature. They are not bad in themselves. What matters is how we respond to them.
Anger can become violence-or it can become courage to confront wrongdoing.
Pain can become bitterness-or it can deepen compassion.
Disappointment can lead to despair—or it can lead to deeper trust in God.
Grace does not destroy our human emotions; grace perfects them. Grace builds on nature.
When we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, even our wounded emotions can become instruments of healing.
Jesus shows us that when our hearts are surrendered to God, the Spirit can change our emotional energy. This energy transforms into life-giving action. Instead of allowing resentment to harden us, the Spirit softens us. Instead of letting fear paralyze us, the Spirit strengthens us. Instead of letting suffering break us, the Spirit reshapes us.
Dear brothers and sisters, each of us has a “withered hand” somewhere in our lives—something wounded, limited, or broken. We are each also called to notice the withered hands of others. These include the lonely, the discouraged, the overlooked, and the struggling.
We are called to stretch out our hands in mercy, even when it is inconvenient.
We are called to choose good, even when it is costly.
We are called to stay faithful, even when misunderstood.
Let us ask the Lord today for the grace to do good without counting the cost. Let us love without demanding reward. Let the Holy Spirit transform our emotions, our struggles, and our sufferings into channels of healing and life for others. May we never grow silent where love demands action. May we never grow comfortable where God calls us to courage. And may we, like Christ, always choose life.
ANNUNCIATION DAILY ROSARY REFLECTION 