Readings
I - Col. 1: 21-23
II - Lk. 6: 1-5
LIVE BY THE LAW OF LOVE
At the time of Jesus the Sabbath, the day of rest, was merely diluted to a day of ‘don’t dos’. Abstinence from all work and availability to the Lord is he crux of the observance of Sabbath. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus defends his disciples saying, “The Son of man is the Lord of Sabbath”. The disciples were walking with Jesus, in total availability to the Lord and that is Sabbath. Hence the disciples were perfect in observing the Sabbath. Jesus by defending his disciples, clarifies the vision of the religious leaders to fix focus on the spirit of Law rather than burdening and oppressing people under the pretext of the observance of the Law.
One does not become a religious by mere observance of its rules and rituals. Prayer, fasting, penance, abstinence and all acts of piety should help the person to be available to the Lord and His demands of love, otherwise they are self-gratification and hypocrisy that the Lord detests. Let us live by the essence of the law of the Lord than focusing on rituals and rules of the religion.
