A Journey with the “Bent-Over Woman” in Luke's Gospel

What keeps you from seeing the face of Jesus or hearing his voice? Pat Gohn describes how she found a deep connection with the “bent-over woman” of Luke’s gospel while she struggled to stand straight after cancer surgery. She tells how the woman’s experience with Jesus parallels our experience at Mass and suggests a way to prepare to receive his healing word more fully. She and Sarah reflect on the way Jesus seeks us out and calls us friends.

Pat Gohn is a Catholic writer, speaker, and podcast host as well as editorial director of Living Faith, a daily devotional for Catholics. The author of Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious and All In, she contributed two reflections on Mary and portraits of the “bent-over” woman and Lydia to the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible. Learn more about her books and ministry at patgohn.net.

Take Pat’s Favorite Scripture to Your Next Holy Hour

Pray: Come, Holy Spirit, open my heart and mind to hear your word today.

Read the Word: John 20:11–18

(Read it in your own Bible to get the context, and so you can make notes)

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.  They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”  Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rab-boni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”  Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Ponder the Word: Read several times, lingering where it touches your heart. What catches your attention? What do you hear the Lord saying to you?

Pray with the Word: Bring to the Lord what you have heard, and talk to him about it. Ask for his grace. Thank him for his loving care.

Live the Word: How does what you read touch your life? What can you do this week to put it into practice?