...be good...

“One Sabbath while Jesus was going through some grain fields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 How he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?” 5 Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

6 On another Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him to see whether He would cure on the Sabbath, so that they might find grounds to bring an accusation against Him. 8 But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand in the middle.” He got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 After looking around at all of them, He said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and began discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus” Luke 6:1-11.

This story is pleading with us not to get stuck on every detail of our religious traditions. For most of them are created by well-intentioned human beings. But so many of our blessed traditions fall short of the life and priorities of Jesus Christ. Look, the healing ministry of Jesus is arguably the most important ministry — or gift — of Jesus Christ. We could easily say that, on the Cross, Jesus healed us through His death from all sin and an eternity without Christ! Christ came to give us life, a life He healed through His own forgiving and self-sacrificing death on the Cross! His Spirit heals us! His word heals us! The Eucharist heals us!

Pray that your religious traditions, in the words of Jesus, “are lawful…good…and without harm to anyone” (verse 9). “Lawful” in the eyes of God…”Good” in the eyes of God…and “Without Harm to Anyone” in the eyes of God.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.

From the Bible:

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law”

Romans 13:10.

“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among others” Proverbs 6:16-19.

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” Revelation 21:8.

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” 2 Timothy 1:7.

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him” 1 John 2:1-29.