First Reading: Col 1:21-23; Psalm: 54. R. v. 6a; Gospel: Lk 6:1-5

LOVE IS ABOVE THE LAW

BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP

Every Jew regarded the Sabbath law as sacred. To break the Sabbath law was a very grave sin. It was a very serious issue and an insult against Yahweh the Almighty God. So every Jew respected the Sabbath law to the latter. No one dares to break it because the penalty was grave.

Jesus and his disciples knew of this quite well. Probably, Jesus was the first to pick up grains to eat before his disciples summoned the courage to do the same. If there was anybody that gave the twelve that complete feeling of safety and protection, it was Jesus. When the Pharisees saw what they did, they reacted angrily because they considered their action a violation of the sabbath. It was Jesus who spoke in defence of their action since his disciples had no courage to speak. Jesus reminded the Pharisees of what David did when he was hungry as he fled for his life. David and his servants ate the showbread which was unlawful for them to eat (1Sam 21:1-7). By this Jesus emphasised that “The Son of man is lord of the Sabbath.”

The crux of Jesus’ message today is that charity supersedes the law. Because most times we spend our life defending what is not as important as what is most important. Human needs and well-being precedes every other thing in life. Think of this: If Jesus could give up his life for the salvation of humanity; this should tell us that God puts first our sustenance and well-being before every other thing in life. Let us learn to look out for the good of one another and not the rightness or wrongness of customs and laws. 

PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Lord Jesus, help us to put the well-being of the human person above every other thing. Amen.