Love!
Is it Lawful to cure on the Sabath? In our Gospel today Jesus challenges us to love. The Pharisees who asked the question were trying to trick Jesus but Saint Luke (who should be the patron Saint of reporters) responds with Jesus’s reply which is a reality check on how all of us see the world.
Are we bound by rules or love?
Last weekend my wife, Anna, and I had super at one of a long-time parish member. We are part of a super club where twice a year we meet at people’s houses in the fall and the spring. They always meet at houses of different parish members. We usually meet on Saturday evening after Mass. Great way to meet and build community. We were blessed to have three of our parish priests join us. There was our Pastor, our retired Pastor and our Associate Pastor.
We had a great meal. Everyone contributed something and the conversation was wonderful. We can easily forget the humanity of our priests and clergy. We had desert and more conversation. Soon it was time to leave. Sunday liturgies needed fresh minds.
However, our retired pastor, Msgr. Dorney, had a stop on his way home. One of his old and longtime parishioner and friend was close to death. He was on his way to make a quick sick call on his friend.
Yes, Msgr. Dorney did it out of love. He could have left it to the “on call” priest or deacon. So true confession, I don’t always do things out of love. In the middle of the night my wife, Anna’s, blood sugar will drop. I don’t always get up to check on her. Sometimes, I find the next morning that I should have. We are all human and sometimes we fail in our love for others.
The important thing is that we get up the next day and try again. Jesus knew that the Pharisees were not perfect, but He was challenging them to look beyond rules and to love.
So how do I love like Jesus wants me to love?
“Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day”. The same emotion goes for our neighbor of a perfect stranger who seeks help.
Our mandate from Jesus today is to love beyond rules and to love wherever we can.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please pray for peace in the Ukraine. Pray for Cancer victims and the caregivers. On a personal note, pray for the repose of the soul of Marge Burford, my brother, Dale’s, spouse of over 65 years who died suddenly on November 6th.
