Hands that Heal

READ: Once when Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, Jesus saw a woman who was bent over, unable to stand up straight. She had lived with this condition for 18 years. When Jesus saw her, he wanted to help, and he asked her to come to him. He smiled at her and said, “Woman, you’re free!”  Then placed his hands on her back gently and prayed for her. And with that she was able to stand up straight and tall, giving thanks to God for being made well.
Some folks there were upset with Jesus, thinking that he was breaking the rules for the Sabbath, the day of rest. Jesus stopped them, and told them, “You make exceptions to the rules when it benefits you. I’ve done the same for this woman, who has suffered long enough.” They didn’t have an answer to Jesus, so his critics kept their mouths shut. But the rest of the people who were gathered there to hear Jesus joined with the woman to give thanks to God.

WONDER: I wonder what it feels like to be bent over? 
I wonder what you can see when you’re bent over? 
I wonder what you miss seeing when you are bent over?
I wonder how it felt to have Jesus place his hands on your shoulder and pray for you?
I wonder what part of this story you like best?
I wonder if there is any part of the story we could leave out and still have all we need?

PRAY: Loving God, thank you for seeing us, when others may overlook us. Help us to be welcoming friends to others, just as Jesus is a friend to us. Amen.
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EXTEND

• Trace an outline of your hand on a piece of paper. Use that outline to create an image of what a healing hand looks like--with words, colors, textures, illustrations, etc. 
• ​Read Goose’s Story by Cari Best and illustrated by Holly Meade. The picture book is told from the perspective of a young girl who one summer sees a goose who is missing one foot arrive at a pond along with a flock of geese. Life is hard for the goose, who struggles to find food, to get around on her own, and even fly. The young girl feels sorry for the goose, and carefully encourages the goose to thrive. She wonders what will happen to the goose in the fall when the others fly south for the winter? What will the next spring bring to the pond? Talk together about friendships with people living with disabilities. How does your community work to include people of all abilities? You can listen to Nathan Reads a Goose’s Story on the YouTube channel of Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay, Wisconsin and watch a short follow-up video about human-caused dangers for wildlife.

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