Then he spoke to them, “I want to ask you: what is allowed by the law on the Sabbath? To do good or to do harm,
to save life or to destroy it?” And Jesus looked around at them all.
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored,
becoming as healthy as the other. But they were furious, and began to discuss with one another how they could deal with Jesus.
REFLECTION:
The rules surrounding the Sabbath spring from God’s rest after creation. No one then should do work during the Sabbath.
God’s rest, however, does not mean inaction and withdrawal from His creation. When He rested, on the seventh day,
He relishes, maintains, and sustains His creation. He is still very active making sure His creation maintains its goodness.
Part of that maintenance and sustenance is reparation when there is damage. God’s rest is a relentless preservation of what is good—of life.
God is busier during His rest than on the days of creation. Jesus tries to show this real value of the Sabbath. It is to relish, maintain,
and sustain the life God has given us. If such a life is impaired, Sabbath has to repair it. One cannot rest when his life,
let alone the life of his brother or sister, is out of order.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020