Readings: 1Cor4:6-15, Ps.145, Luke 6:1-5
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
EVERY LAW SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AND IMPLEMENTED WITH LOVE, JUSTICE AND MERCY
Due to the weak and fragile nature of the human person, God made very good and practical laws which he wanted his people to obey, but as time goes on, these laws have been multiplied, turned upside down and misinterpreted in such a way that they are very complex and difficult to obey. God’s law is the law of love, justice, mercy and freedom, for he describes himself as a merciful and compassionate God. This freedom enables us to follow the spirit of the law. Therefore, Jesus comes to bring people back to the original intention of the law. He doesn’t come to abolish the law, but to show what God’s original intention was concerning the law.
This is what our Gospel reading is addressing today. Where on a 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. But 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? And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.’
Here, Jesus made it known to the Pharisees that they had made the Sabbath too stressful for the people; they were nothing but fault-finders and self-righteous people. The Law was interpreted by the elders and the priests, which they passed down as strict sets of rules and regulations that restricted the activities of the people on the Sabbath,
This often makes many people forget the very reason, purpose and essence of the Sabbath itself. Because the Law was strictly enforced on the people, those who did not obey were often treated with dishonour, just as the Pharisees did to Jesus and his disciples. Pharisees are known for their judgmental and comparative attitude, which makes them feel superior to others.
And this ugly attitude is what St. Paul is addressing in our first reading when he said: keep to what is written.’ It is not for you, so full of your importance, to go taking sides for one man against another. So, St. Paul using the examples of himself, reminded us of the need to be humble and not to look down on others or be judgmental by our comparative attitude. This he deeds by showing and reminding everyone how he had humbled himself and laboured so hard for the sake of the people.
Dear friends, today Jesus teaches us the original intention of the Sabbath laws in relation to human needs. We should not be legalistic with the law; rather, we should identify the spirit of the law, which is rooted in love, justice and mercy and then follow it. This is what Jesus and his disciples did when, for the sake of their basic human need for survival, go against the ceremonial Sabbath day regulations of not plucking the grain or doing any work.
Also, we are called not to be judgmental, fault-finders and self-righteous people like the Pharisees who, under the cover of the law, planned to judge and condemn the actions of Jesus and his disciples. Therefore, we should rather humble ourselves and focus our attention on what God really want from us, which is to love him and to love our neighbours as well.
LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, oftentimes, we condemn and judge people based on what the law states without examining and applying the essence and spirit of the law; grant that in our relationship with others, we may begin to apply the true law, which is rooted in love, justice and mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a peaceful weekend.
