Monday of the
Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
(I Corinthians 5:1-8; Luke 6:6-11)
In 1793 the French revolutionary government tried to
change the number of days in a week. Ostensibly
for scientific reasons France adopted a calendar with ten hour days and ten-day
weeks. Predictably the people had a hard
time adjusting. One problem was the
difficulty in changing frames of reference – an hour of the old system became less
than a half of the new hour. There was also
resentment over having to work three extra days each week to arrive at the day
of rest. First a six-day and now a
five-day work week is generally considered as more than enough time on the job for
the normal person. Yet Jesus does not
hesitate to make an exception to that rule in today’s gospel.
The Pharisees see their role as guarding the Mosaic Law from
any abuse. They take particular concern over
the Sabbath rest. As much as they
prevent managers from overworking their workers and the laborer from neglecting
duties to God and community, they perform a valuable service. But most rules have exceptions. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees when they do not consider
healing an invalid on the Sabbath as such a case.
Incidentally, healing may not have been as easy as the
gospel relates. Jesus may have had to
massage the stricken body part or, in the case of possession, spend hours dispelling
the malicious spirit. In any event he
does it not to defy the Law but to show the power of God working through him to
save us. We have today, Labor Day, as well as every Sunday to relax and thank
God for His goodness.
