Lifestyle
Friday Of week 15 In Ordinary Time
Isaiah 38:1-6,21-22,7-8
Isaiah 38:10-12,16
Matthew 12:1-8
THE LORD OF THE SABBATH CAN GRANT YOU REST FOR YOUR WELL-BEING.
The observations of faultfinders abound. Throughout history, individuals have sought to create divisions among the devout and their Master, yet these efforts have consistently proven futile. Some assert authority beyond the confines of the law, despite its applicability to all.
Those in positions of power exploit their subordinates. Instances of injustice and manipulative practices pervade various facets of society, including the media. Religious violence continues to surface under the guise of divine reverence, rather than promoting ecumenical intervention and prayer.
The Pharisees noted the disciples of Jesus traversing a wheat field and observed them rubbing heads of wheat in their hands. This action perturbed the Pharisees as it contravened the Sabbath laws delineated in the Torah. The Sabbath regulations enumerate thirty-nine transgressions, and the disciples were charged with three of these: reaping, winnowing, and threshing.
God bequeathed these laws to serve as a reminder of His justice and compassion. Undoubtedly, the laws emancipate us. The essence of these laws urges us to embody love, show mercy, and demonstrate fidelity. Should we presume upon His mercy, His justice will inevitably ensue, for He is infinitely merciful and just.
Generosity and hope epitomize discipleship. Life presents a dichotomy between law and vitality, not between good and evil, but between good and illusion. Life attains its utmost sanctity when directed towards providing sustenance for the destitute or rendering aid to the needy.
Ultimately, love governs the judicious utilization of all things. According to Viktor Frankl, embracing life necessitates choosing life. Embracing love necessitates engagement. Embracing growth necessitates enduring hardship.
It is inscribed, and no retraction is conceivable, “God favors the upright, and the upright have Him as their protector.” Therefore, O Believers, profess your love for Jesus with a profundity of ardor surpassing that directed towards any other entity.
Let us offer all the love contained within our hearts as a unified whole, a confluence of all affections directed towards the One who is entirely lovely—the Lord of the Sabbath.
Fr Joseph Osho
