Love Overcomes All Things

𝐉𝐀𝐍. 𝟐𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈: 𝟏 𝐒𝐚𝐦 𝟏𝟕:𝟑𝟐-𝟑𝟑, 𝟑𝟕, 𝟒𝟎-𝟓𝟏

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟏𝟒𝟒:𝟏𝐛, 𝟐, 𝟗-𝟏𝟎 “𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤!”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐌𝐊 𝟑:𝟏-𝟔

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞: “𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝.” (𝐯.𝟓) 

         This Gospel passage brings to a close the series of five stories depicting a succession of controversies that highlighted the gap in the interpretation of the laws of Moses between Jesus Christ and the Pharisees.

         And today we see a continuation of the law of the Sabbath that was part of the Mosaic law but which in the course of time the Scribes or the teachers of the law have expanded into a never-ending trail of rules and regulations the observance of which has become more important to the Pharisees than the original intent of the Sabbath.

         The issues emanate from the law of the Sabbath itself that was part of the Mosaic law but which in the course of time the Scribes or the teachers of the law have expanded into a never-ending trail of rules and regulations the observance of which has become more important to the Pharisees than the original intent of the Sabbath.

         Just to let you in on the kind of controversy that have caused division between Jesus and the Pharisees, the devout Jews will not lift their hands much more defend themselves even from attacks by their enemies if it falls on the Sabbath.

         There was a story about Pompey the Roman general who when he laid siege on Jerusalem built a mound during the Sabbath day from where he can view the Temple where the Jews took refuge. Pompey knew that on the Sabbath the Jews would not lift even one hand to defend themselves even if they knew that by their inaction, they were facing imminent death.

         Having grown up in a Jewish household Jesus knew the rigidity in the way the Pharisees observe the rules of the Sabbath and it was probably his desire to awaken this kind of insensitivity to the needs of the people that led him to return to the synagogue.

         Brushing off the protests and threats raised by the Pharisees who were jealous of the growing popularity of Jesus who not only spoke with authority during his preaching, but who also brought healing and performed miracles that no eye has ever seen until he came.

         Jesus uncompromisingly exposed the inconsistency in the way the Pharisees were practicing their faith, and this brought him into a collision course with the Pharisees who started looking for ways to eliminate him.

         Just like on this day in the synagogue, a man with a withered hand was there and the Pharisees were watching Jesus if he would heal the man on the Sabbath. If he did, they will add this to the issues they have raised against him, but Jesus knew what they were thinking which was why he asked the question: “𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐡: 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥, 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥?” (𝐯.𝟒)        

         When the Pharisees couldn’t answer, Jesus “𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬,” 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧: “𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝.” (𝐯.𝟓) and the man was healed.

         What this Gospel passage is telling us is that we need to spend some time and go before the Lord and reflect if there is a trace of Pharisee in us especially at this time when the Christmas Season just ended and we are asked to put into practice the lessons we learned during the Advent and Christmas Seasons.

         Without our knowing it there could be a chance we may have become Pharisaical in the way we have been practicing our faith especially for those who are in positions of leadership in the church or in lay organizations such as charismatic community.

         As with the Pharisees some of us could be suffering from a hardening of our hearts that we may have picked from our ancestors dating back from the time of Cain and we will know if we are in this stage of our spiritual growth if we are experiencing not just spiritual dullness but when we refuse to see the truths that Jesus teaches. It would be calamitous for us if we will not deal with this situation. (𝐏𝐫𝐨 𝟐𝟖:𝟏𝟒)       

         Hard hearts result in hard thoughts and in our present situation this could be likened to our inability to see any good in those who may be opposed to our ideas or positions. Such hard hearts and thoughts at times provoke us into engaging in politics of personal destruction.

         And in our effort to stand firm on our position we begin to think ill of our neighbors, colleagues in the workplace and, even our brethren in the church or community and this becomes evident in the way we treat others at times ignoring, maligning and or abusing those whom we don’t like.

        Just like lies that become truth when repeated overtime, hard thoughts emanating from a hardened heart are likely to progress into deeds which means that our actions albeit irreligious are a consequence of our thoughts.

        In our quiet times, we can detach from the Pharisaical nature that may be in us by reigniting our relationship with our God by remembering that we are weak and we need to forgive (𝐂𝐨𝐥 𝟑:𝟏𝟑). We can make that big leap of faith from our hardened hearts into someone with a compassionate heart by our conscious effort to turn ourselves into a good soil and by aligning our attitude with that of Christ (𝐏𝐡𝐢 𝟐:𝟑-𝟓).        

        This passage for all intents and purposes warns us not to fall into the trap to which the Pharisees and Herodians have fallen because we too could be plotting against Jesus by keeping him out of our lives. As he had purchased us at a great price, we all belong to him and as such we are mandated to pursue his mission and bring the Gospel to others.

         As opposed to the Pharisees and Herodians whose mindsets were opposed to Jesus, we are being enjoined by Peter (𝟏 𝐏𝐞𝐭 𝟑:𝟖-𝟏𝟐) to live in harmony with one another. The choice before us then is the eternal joy that awaits those who will choose to believe in Christ (𝐉𝐧 𝟑:𝟏𝟔) or our own condemnation if we persist in our unbelief in him who is the truth (𝐉𝐧 𝟑:𝟏𝟖).

         The Sabbath is thus not just a day of rest, but it should be spent to express our gratitude for all that God has done for us. We should use the Sabbath as a means of purifying ourselves of the Pharisee in us by doing good to others. To keep the Sabbath holy is to serve God by serving man. (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘑𝘢𝘯. 21, 2026)