20170909
JESUS THE MASTER OF THE SABBATH
Readings
at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: Green.
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First reading
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Colossians 1:21-23 ©
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Not long ago, you were foreigners and enemies, in the way that you
used to think and the evil things that you did; but now he has reconciled you,
by his death and in that mortal body. Now you are able to appear before him
holy, pure and blameless – as long as you persevere and stand firm on the
solid base of the faith, never letting yourselves drift away from the hope
promised by the Good News, which you have heard, which has been preached to the
whole human race, and of which I, Paul, have become the servant.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 53(54):3-4,6,8 ©
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I have God for my help.
O God, save me by your name;
by your power, uphold my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
listen to the words of my mouth.
I have God for my help.
But I have God for my help.
The Lord upholds my life.
I will sacrifice to you with willing heart
and praise your name for it is good:
I have God for my help.
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Gospel Acclamation
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cf.Ps26:11
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
on an even path lead me.
Alleluia!
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Or
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Jn14:6
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Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Luke 6:1-5 ©
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One sabbath Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the
cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their
hands and eating them. Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something
that is forbidden on the sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not
read what David did when he and his followers were hungry how he went into the
house of God, took the loaves of offering and ate them and gave them to his
followers, loaves which only the priests are allowed to eat?’ And he said to
them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the sabbath.’
JESUS THE MASTER OF THE SABBATH
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [COL 1:21-23; LK 6:1-5 ]
When we read
today’s scripture readings, we cannot but envy the freedom of Jesus in
the way He lived His life. Although supposedly a Rabbi, He was not
tied down to the laws of Judaism that could kill His spontaneity and joy. This
was certainly the case of St Paul as well. He too was convinced that he
was preaching the Good News. His faith in Christ gave him a liberating
joy.
In contrast, many
of us who are believers do at times, some more than others, feel
the burden of the institutionalization of religion. We feel obliged
to fulfill all the laws of our religion. Indeed, in the Catholic Church,
for the Latin Rite itself, we have more than 1,750 laws! And if we were
to include the rules such as liturgical rules etc we would have a few hundred
more. In trying to fulfill these laws perfectly, we will either be
reduced to a nervous wretch or a self-righteous person.
But more than
these, instead of us becoming the enemies of God, as Paul
tells us in the first reading, we will regard God as our enemy and a foreigner to
us. This is so because we feel that we are obeying all these laws simply
to appease Him and to please Him. We do so because we fear His
wrath. In such a situation, God becomes our competitor; and fulfillment
of the laws becomes our utility to win Him over. Consequently, religion
becomes Bad News.
But true
religion is good news. True religion reconciles man with God; man
with man and with himself. This is what Paul tells us in the first
reading. Jesus is our reconciler through death to Himself. Hence
true religion is called Faith because it enhances our relationship with God,
others and with self. Such a faith relationship makes us live a holy,
pure and blameless life.
Within this
context, we can now understand why Jesus could bend, or rather perfect, the
observance of the Sabbath law. For the purpose of the Sabbath Law
was to help man to rest from his work so that he would have some time for God,
for himself and for his fellow human beings. For cut off from God,
from himself and from his fellow human beings, man would lose his connection
with the world and with life. So the Sabbath law was meant for the good
and the well-being of man. It was never meant to be an end in itself, not
even for God Himself because He does not need our worship. For this
reason, when His disciples were hungry, as was the case also of David’s men,
even sacred laws might have to be broken for the greater good and needs of
man. Certainly, God does not want to make our lives miserable. He
comes to bring us life. The miseries of religion are due to the narrow,
blind and legalistic understanding and application of the laws of religion.
The implication
for us therefore is that in all that we do, especially in our
observance of the laws of religion, we must never forget the motives
and reasons for what we do. Unless we observe the laws in such a
way that brings about the greater love and unity of humankind, and our
relationship with God and a greater self-integration, the fulfillment of such
laws would further alienate us from God and others. Only when we behave
thus, can we then really be like Jesus, the master of the Sabbath.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of
Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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