Readings: 1 Corinthians 4:6-15, Ps. 145:17-21, Luke 6:1-5
“When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this day. I am not writing to make you ashamed but to admonish you as my beloved children.” (1 Corinthians 4:12-14)
In Luke 5:33-39 (Yesterday’s Gospel Passage), the Scribes and Pharisees accused Jesus and his disciples of not fasting and praying. “John’s disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink.” Jesus responded with three parables: “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment.” “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.”
- Clearly, Jesus’ accusers neither understood nor reflected on the meaning of any of these parables because they had passed judgment on Jesus already. In today’s Gospel passage, they brought forward a similar accusation. One Sabbath, while Jesus was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” (Luke 6:1-2).
- In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul warned about the danger of passing premature judgment. When you reach a negative conclusion about someone, you suddenly become blind (or deaf) to anything good coming from that person. These scribes and Pharisees became disciples of Jesus (they followed him everywhere) to find fault in Jesus. Are there people you have come to hate to the extent that once you hear their name mentioned, you criticise them even before hearing what they have done? Examine your heart – do not become a Pharisee!
- In today’s first reading, St. Paul writes: “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly.” The hallmark of a true Christian is how he reacts under pressure (when insulted, persecuted or unjustly treated). Let us learn from Jesus’ calmness in responding to those who accused him falsely. Some of us behave worse than our accusers when provoked, revealing our spiritual emptiness.
- From Jesus’ response, we learn two important points. One, Jesus is God; He is the long-awaited bridegroom. He is the Lord of the Sabbath. Two, God wants us to worship Him in spirit and truth instead of merely observing rules (Cf. John 4:23). There is a difference between worshipping God and following the commandments. This is the difference between the new wineskins and the old wineskins.
- Although we cannot exclude obedience to God’s commandments from worshipping God, we risk not worshipping God at all if we are only concerned about obeying the commandments. For instance, in every household, there are rules. While children obey out of love for their parents, servants obey with bitterness in their hearts. Jesus wants us to have the child mentality rather than the slave mentality. He wants us to go beyond religion (the observance of rules) to spirituality (deep connection with God).
- The problem with the slave mentality is that it breeds what the Prophet Isaiah described in these words: “These people draw near with their mouths and honour me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their worship of me is a human commandment” (Isaiah 29:13). Jesus referenced this verse in Matthew 15:8 and Mark 7:6.
- By plucking heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath, Jesus and His disciples related to God as His children. They went beyond the Letter of the Law to the spirit. By the way, the third commandment only states that we worship God on the Sabbath. It did not forbid eating food when one is hungry. God created the Sabbath day for our health and well-being, not to punish us. It is a day to rest from work, recreate and pray.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, teach us to love and not hate, to forgive and not revenge, to build and not destroy. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Saturday of week 22 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Corinthians 4:6-15, Ps. 145:17-21, Luke 6:1-5)
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu