FRIDAY, THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Rom 9: 1-5 Ps 147: 12-15, 19-20 Lk 14: 1-6
LOVE OR LAW?
“The law is made for man, not man for the law.” We live in the 21st century, a world that prides itself on its progress. Yet, how often do we find ourselves clinging to outdated rituals, rigid regulations, and legalistic attitudes that suppress the spirit of love and mercy? Jesus, our Master, gave us one eternal commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.
The third commandment in the Decalogue calls us to keep the Sabbath holy. “Sabbath” is the Hebrew word Shabbat (שַׁבָּת), which means to rest or to cease. For the Jews, the Sabbath was a day of rest, deeply revered and protected by strict observance, so much so that working on the Sabbath could mean death. Over time, the Pharisees and Sadducees worsened it with a complex web of rules, losing sight of the commandment’s original intent: communion with God and compassion for others.
It is here that Jesus challenges these traditions. In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a man suffering from dropsy, even though it is the Sabbath. He asks the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” When they remain silent, Jesus acts with compassion. He teaches us a profound truth: love is never out of season. The Sabbath, for Jesus, is not merely a day of rest, it is a day of restoration. It is not about refraining from work as an end in itself, but about making space for goodness, mercy, and human connection.
As Christians, our Sunday, the Lord’s Day, is not just for attending Mass and retreating into personal rest. The Church teaches us that Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the elderly (CCC 2186). So, the question before us is not merely whether we observe the law, but how we live love. Will we be people of cold rules or warm hearts? The choice is ours: Love or Law? Let us choose the way of Christ: the way of love.
Response: O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
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