Stretch Out Your Hand

One sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. Mark 2:23-3:6

Wondrous Creator, present in all

we breathe your breath with sighs

we are broken without repair

and we cry from our handmade bars.

Our selfishness has bound us all

our arrogance has blinded us

we are crippled by our greed

and there is no good remedy.

You fed the hungry on the sabbath

and restored the withered hand

help us to stretch out to you today

let us pray without ceasing for all.

Remake us with new hearts and hands

teach us compassion and kindness

equip us with the weapons of love alone

so that the world may be made whole. Amen.