Gospel Delights!

Saturday, September 9, 2023

Col 1: 21-23; Lk 6:1-5

In today’s gospel, Jesus responds to the accusation of the Pharisees that his disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath. 

Like the Scribes, the Pharisees were legal experts in the Jewish religion. Therefore, they commanded respect. However, it was largely because of the fear of ordinary and ignorant people, who also lacked the competency to challenge them.

This background information is of some help in understanding the legality that had replaced the real meaning of religion in Jesus’ time. 

Jesus is not only waging a counterattack but also offering correctives by helping them see the real meaning of scriptural texts. Jesus’ reference to the episode on David is an example of it. Unlike ordinary people, when Jesus demonstrates Scriptural evidence in his counterclaim, the Pharisees resent and are unable to accept the truth of his teaching. There are at least two dangers lurking behind the Pharisaic attitude.

1.Even when the Scripture is explained to them, they hold on to the letter of the law, forgetting its spirit. They know the Scripture, but can only use it subjectively. More than what the Scripture meant, what they ‘felt’ the Scripture meant became their viewpoint and interpretation. Their subjective approach gets narrowed down to rigid legality, failing to demonstrate Divine Intention. 

2. The subjective reading of the Scripture also makes them blind to the truth, even when Jesus helps them with it. Their hearts are hardened and unable to embrace the change. 

Between legality and humanity, religion represents best the latter than the former. Authentic spirituality is profoundly human. That is what Jesus manifests. Let us allow the Spirit to work in us so that we will be able to know and follow the Divine Truth, freed of our subjective judgments. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar