In today’s Gospel Jesus debates with some Jewish teaches about what is Lawful on the Sabbath. What does it mean to keep holy the Sabbath?
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God. You shall not do any work…” (Exodus 20:8-9).
Another way of asking this question in the light of yesterday’s Gospel is to ask, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” (Matthew 22:26). Jesus’ answer was to focus on love of God and love of neighbor. He concludes yesterday’s Gospel with the words: “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:40).
So, the question in today’s Gospel is whether it is lawful for Jesus to heal this crippled woman on the Sabbath Day. Is Jesus keeping holy the Sabbath day by performing this act of compassion and healing. The leader of the synagogue indignantly complains:
“There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day?”
Jesus challenges this religious leader to recognize that love of God and neighbor are intertwined. Jesus’ actions spring from God’s love and this is why he showed love and compassion to this woman. What he has done on the Sabbath, therefore, is lawful because is reflects the twofold commandment of love of God and love of neighbor.
What is lawful to do on the Sabbath or any other day? Jesus shows us by his own life of humility, service, and sacrifice.
“He always showed compassion for children and for the poor, for the sick and for sinners, and he became a neighbor to the oppressed and the afflicted.
By word and deed he announced to the world that you are our Father and that you care for all your sons and daughters.” (Eucharistic Prayer for Various Needs IV).
Paul exhorts us in today’s first reading to follow this example of Jesus:
“Brothers and sisters: Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us.”
We keep holy the Sabbath when we show God’s love to one another through compassion and forgiveness.
Image: “Bet El synagogue Casablanca – bima” by dlisbona is licensed under CC BY 2.0.