When Jesus laid his hands on the woman, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.  Luke 13: 13 

Our sunflowers are growing in a little congregation in our garden. They grew quickly beyond the reach of the rabbits and the groundhogs. Their pollen serves the bees. Before long their seeds will feed the birds. For the moment the plants stand there like a little church assembly, planted close together so that they hold each other up. They are a living illustration of a congregation like ours. During these last weeks of summer and into the fall, say hello to someone you don’t know well, and learn a few things about them.The summer Gospel readings from Luke have been particularly moving to me. Maybe it’s because normally my family is away for a couple weeks of August and I hear but do not think so carefully about these lessons that come around every year at this time. On Sunday we will hear about a healing. It’s not planned or premeditated. Jesus is moved at the sight of a suffering woman who comes into his life, and into a holy place. A broken body and the word of God meet in a healing moment. Sunday we’ll think about this dramatic little scene.