NINTH SUNDAY OF YEAR "B"

NINTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR     Cycle  B

Mark 2, 23 - 3,6:  “Lord of the Sabbath”

Jesus pulls us up short and points to the hypocrisy at the heart of our legalisms, with a memorable symmetrical phrase: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was made for man on the social and humane level as well as the level of worship. Nowadays we have managed to make available more free time than ever before. We need to rediscover the purpose behind it and the ways to use it. There is a need in each of us to have time to be still, to be relieved from daily routines and burdens, to experience something of the divine, to be spiritually uplifted  -  something that “takes you out of yourself.”

We can visualise the Gospel readings and play them on the movie screens of our imaginations, so the readings come vividly alive. See Jesus, that truly humane person, walking through the wheat fields, or praying with the common folk in the synagogue, or telling the sick man to stretch out his withered hand.  But at times the compassionate eyes of Jesus take on an angry quality as he confronts his enemies. As often happens in the Gospel, Jesus asks his critics a question to which they have no answer. They shift uncomfortably from one foot to another, inspecting their sandals straps, failing to meet Jesus’ eyes, looking for an early exit so that they can sort him out.  Usually this is because the question that Jesus has asked is unerringly to the point: “Is it against the law on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do evil: to save life or to kill ?” His critics had such a convoluted way of thinking that it could only wither in the face of such direct and evident goodness. Their failure to respond brings out the Lord’s compassion and healing.

He tells the man to stretch out his hand and it is made well again. And how encouraging to see that this has come through Jesus’ anger. Encouraging, because that reminds us that our righteous anger at injustice, corruption and evil is not self-righteousness. Our duty is to say that wrong is wrong and not to apologise for it. And when the world has no answer, we have to propose the good and get on with it.

Let us focus on Jesus again. Jesus took advantage of this altercation to talk about the true meaning of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was instituted by God to enable his creatures to enjoy rest, renewal and recuperation after a hard week’s work, and have some free time to give to God. It meant freedom from pain and oppression. By relieving people’s pain, Jesus was not breaking the Sabbath; he was producing the Sabbath. This healing, in the synagogue on the Sabbath, is concrete proof of Jesus’ claim to lordship.  When Jesus went on to describe the Son of Man as “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2, 28), he claimed he had to power to interpret the Law of the Sabbath in terms of man’s welfare.  Man’s genuine needs come before the Law. Hungry people don’t tend to be discriminating about religious convention. And any religious practice is false that is not animated by loving kindness. One great act of charity would be to ask someone if they are really getting enough rest, or if they are being gentle enough on themselves.

PRAYER (St. John of the Cross, Doctor of mysticism.  1542 - 1591, aged 49 years)

O sweetest love of God, too little known,

whoever has found you will be at rest.

Let everything change, O my God,

that I may rest in you.

How sweet to me is your presence,

you who are the sovereign good !

I will draw near to you in silence,

and will uncover your feet,

that it may please you to unite me to yourself,

making my soul your bride.

I will rejoice in nothing until I am in your arms;

O Lord, I beseech you, leave me not for a moment.

St. Thomas’ Church,

Calcutta.