Sabbath? To do good or to do harm? To save life or to kill?” But they were silent. Then Jesus looked around at them with anger
and deep sadness at their hardness of heart. And he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand
was healed. As soon as the Pharisees left, they met with Herod’s supporters, looking for a way to destroy Jesus.
Reflection:
Looking across the two readings and the responsorial
verse, we find three hard things: a stone that kills Goliath,
a rock that provides stability, and hearts that are hardened.
Solidity is a virtue only when it is rooted on the true rock of our
lives—God. He becomes the deepest foundation from where
we can shape our responses and reach out, as demanded by the
needs of the times. David was so rooted, which directed his
decisions and actions. However, the Pharisees were solid in the
wrong place—in their own hearts which only got closed
in on itself. Had they been grounded in the rock of God,
their hearts would have found a joyous flexibility to reach out
and raise the paralyzed hand of their brother. We need rock-like
faith, but liquid hearts that can melt in compassion for the other.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2022