07-09-2026, Monday of Twenty Third Week in Ordinary Time
1 Cor 5: 1-8; Ps 5: 5-7, 12; Lk 6: 6-11
παρατηρέω (Gk) (paratéreó) (watch/observe) (Lk 6:7)
The Word to reflect today is from today’s Gospel passage according to Luke (6:6-11). The word paratereo literally means watch closely, directly perceiving something through close observation; being on guard, keep watch over; scrupulous attitude in religious matters to observe, keep, carefully obey rules.
On a Sabbath, Jesus enters a synagogue and notices a man whose right hand is withered or paralyzed. Luke highlights the right hand, meaning the hand with which one works. With the withered hand, the person was unable to sustain a living. Jesus’s sight goes on this man, with the intention to do good, to heal. In contrast, instead of being in prayer, on the Sabbath, the religious leaders are watching Jesus closely, waiting to see if he breaks the Sabbath rules. They are not keeping the Sabbath holy, rather are motivated by evil, to find fault in the good action of Jesus.
Rabbinic tradition (halakhah) permitted medical intervention on the Sabbath only if a human life was in immediate danger. Since a chronic withered hand was not life-threatening, treating it on the Sabbath would constitute forbidden work. The scribes wanted material to bring a formal charge against Jesus before the council. Rather than avoiding conflict, Jesus commands the man: “Rise and stand in the midst”. He moves the vulnerable man from the margins directly into the center of sight. Instead of avoiding trouble, Jesus calls the man to stand right in the middle of the room. He asks the crowd a direct question: Is the Sabbath meant for doing good or doing evil, for saving life or destroying it?
Jesus then tells the man, “Stretch out your hand.” The man does, and his hand is completely healed. Jesus performs no physical manipulation, mixes no salves, and conducts no manual labour. He simply speaks: “Stretch out your hand.” The restoration occurs through sovereign word alone, exposing the hollow nature of their technical legal charge. Instead of being happy for the man, the critics are filled with fury, since they could not technically charge Jesus.
What about you and me? Do we have an attitude of doing good or doing evil? Are we only paratereo (watching) to see people fail and to trap them? The wicked watch closely (paratereo) the righteous, and gnash their teeth at them; but the LORD laughs at the wicked, for he foresees that their day is coming. (Ps. 37:12-13)