Luke 6: 6-11 (Monday, September 10, 2007)

One thing very significant in today’s gospel is Jesus’ healing of the man even though it was a Sabbath day. It raises the question of the importance of laws. The laws are not there to enslave us, but to guide us. Since the sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church in the United States, some priests have become paranoid in doing ministry. So many laws have been created to protect our children. These laws are not to be taken literally. Would you deny listening to a confession of a child under the age of 18 years just because there isn’t an adult around? Must you insist on a transparent confessional door even if the parish cannot afford one? We must always keep in mind the spirit of the law. At each point in time, it is always important to do what is right even if it is going to generate opposition. Jesus knew the people were going to use the incident to accuse him, but he still went ahead to heal the man because he believed that was the right thing to do. As you strive to live your Christianity in a radical way, you would be confronted with decisions in which if you make the right decision, you would be opposed or persecuted. Jesus invites you today to fear no opposition, just do the right thing.

Prayer:
Lord, sometimes we are timid and afraid of opposition. Give us the courage to always stand firm and do the right thing even if it will bring us persecution.