Keep it Holy

In this week’s gospel, once again the love of Christ runs smack into an impromptu ambush. Jesus is roundly condemned by a Pharisee for curing a woman on the Sabbath. But he doesn’t back down an inch. He stands his ground and argues that love always trumps legal nitpicking. The confrontation is all too familiar. Sometimes the issue has been verbal fencing over the finer points of theology. At other times it has been condemnation of Christ for reaching out to gentiles and sinners. This time the attack goes right to the heart of the new covenant.

While the Sabbath is set aside for God, it remains in the context of all the other days. We give the Sabbath day to God and he gives us the grace to take us through the week and all the weeks to come. Forgiven, nourished, strengthened and energized in the love of God and neighbor, we keep the Sabbath holy… rejoicing in the Lord… knowing that when we rest, we will rest in him.