The Catholic Calendar for Monday, September 6, 2004
Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from Today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Psalm 5:5-7,12
Luke 6:6-11

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's reading from Luke's gospel, Jesus infuriates the Pharisees and Scribes by healing on the sabbath. "Oh! What a horrible violation of the holy law!" "What a slap in the face to all that we hold as sacred." "Surely something must be done about such a sin!" "We may even have to have him killed!" These were probably some of the comments that were heard that day.

Oh how blind they were! The leaders had become so wrapped up in observing their own laws that they completely forgot the core teaching of the law: love God and neighbor. What the Lord did was a supreme act of Love. He gave freely of Himself in love to heal a man. He was simply obeying the law through His action.

Sadly, things are not different today in many cases. But we as followers of the Most High God and Lord Jesus Christ have only one option and that is to Love God above all else and others as ourselves, regardless of what our "laws" say. To do otherwise is to sin. So go ahead, anger the modern day Pharisees and heal on the sabbath! It's the Christian thing to do.

Don Claunch, SFO

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posted by joachim at 6:09 AM