Day 10 of Lent, Saturday, February 23, 2013

Today's Reading: Luke 6:1-19

We are clearly on the side of Jesus and righteousness in this passage.  It's easy to see how wrong-headed his opponents are.  To quote Shawshank Redemption, how could they be so obtuse?

Holiness was something awe-inspiring in Jesus' day.  It was not something they took lightly.

Healing on the Sabbath was frowned upon because back then like today, some miracle workers made it about them rather than God.  There are also some who may be ill (but not so ill) who capture everyone's time and attention.  Frauds ruin it for those who are really sick and all these things just add to our creeping cynicism.

If they really need healing, why can't they just come back tomorrow?

Yet Jesus cuts through all of our excuses and declares God's priorities.

The miracle of healing couldn't come outside of God and so once again, Jesus receives God's implicit agreement with his teaching.

Rather than humbly bowing before God acting on this holy day, they decided that they would rather keep God boxed in to what is comfortable.

Surely I've never done this!