Charity Over Rigidity

 

  Mk 3:1-6

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. ² Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. ³ Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Jesus broke the Sabbath law by healing the man with the withered hand on a day when "work"  was forbidden. Mark inserts that Jesus was angry and distressed at the stubborn hearts of his critics, who did not see that healing this man's infirmity was a greater good than strict observance of the Law. Jesus followed the "Law of Charity" and by so doing, encourages us to do so as well. Let us try as best we can to incorporate this law into our spiritual lives.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, following your example, help me to incorporate the Law of Charity into my spiritual life. Amen