Ephesians 4:32 - 5:8 / Luke 13:10-17
If we want to see how bright the sky is on a sunny day, we have to look up.
And when we look up, we not only see the sky, we are also awed by the beauty of the white clouds in the blue sky.
And we often point to the skies and look up there when we want to indicate the dwelling place of God.
Yes, looking up is like an expression of our faith in God and that He will shower His blessings on us from the heavens.
In the gospel, there was a woman who was bent double and quite unable to stand upright, and she was in this state for eighteen years.
It was a long time to be looking at the ground with all that dirt and dust.
Jesus saw her he called her over and said, “Woman, you are rid of your infirmity” and He laid His hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.
So at last, that woman can look up and see the hope of heaven and the love of God.
The first reading says this: You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light.
When we sin, we are dragged and bent over, and we see only darkness and hopelessness.
But Jesus saved us and lifted us to see light and hope.
May we in turn lift others from their burdens and darkness, and lead them to look up and see the light of God’s love.