Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Gospel Reading: Mark 3:1-6

 

Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel  with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

 

Again in today’s Gospel Jesus is challenged about good works being performed on the Sabbath. A man with a crippled hand enters the synagogue. The Jewish leaders sit there waiting to see what Jesus does. Sensing the hardness of their hearts, Jesus calls the crippled man over and asks the Jewish leaders, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Jesus cures the man’s hand. This enrages the Jewish leaders and they go out and begin to plot against him. What is the real purpose of the Sabbath? - to honor God for all he has done for us. If we see someone cripple or hurt, what better display of gratitude toward God then to reach out and help the individual. The scribes and the Pharisees were so determined to get Jesus that they could not see the good that he was doing. They were blinded by their hatred and their anger. Jesus points out that the purpose of the Sabbath is to do good and not to do harm. That we are called to save the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters when they are indeed in need. Christians celebrate the Lord’s Day, now Sunday, to honor God for all he has done for us. We celebrate the new life that was given to us through the cross and Christ’s resurrection. Through the resurrection, we are given new life. God saved our life through the death of his only son. It is this form of love that God wants us to remember and reflect on during the Sabbath. If we truly love and honor God, then his love will overflow from us out to our neighbors “to do good” and “to save life.”

 

Friday is the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. This is a great opportunity for use to do good and stand up for life. Remember we are called to save life, not destroy it. You can do this by letting people know your stance about this issue. These small innocent lives are reaching out their hands for help and it is up to us to stand up for their lives.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, Jesus Christ, I celebrate the resurrection of new life.

Give me the strength to reach out and give this love to others.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon