Reading 1
Col 1:24:2:3
Brothers and sisters:
I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his Body, which is the Church,
of which I am a minister
in accordance with God's stewardship given to me
to bring to completion for you the word of God,
the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.
But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim,
admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labor and struggle,
in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you
and for those in Laodicea
and all who have not seen me face to face,
that their hearts may be encouraged
as they are brought together in love,
to have all the richness of assured understanding,
for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 62:6-7, 9
R. (8) In God is my safety and my glory.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
R. In God is my safety and my glory.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
R. In God is my safety and my glory.
Gospel
Lk 6:6-11
On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
"Come up and stand before us."
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
"I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
"Stretch out your hand."
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.
Meditation: Luke 6:6-11
“They became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.” (Luke 6:11)
While no Pharisees are directly implicated in Jesus’ crucifixion by the Romans, it is clear that many of them hated Jesus and wanted to see him killed. They saw him as a threat to their religion and their own elevated social status. Jesus didn’t show deference to them or submit to their interpretation of the Law, and that made some of them furious. They could not let this “nobody” unseat them in the eyes of the people.
What’s striking is how these men’s rage affected their thinking. Though they were committed to living out the Law of Moses, Jesus’ authoritative teaching style and growing popularity caused them to break the Law they loved in their attempts to trap him. How could these men be so stubborn? Even more important, how could their thinking become so unclear?
Perhaps a look inside our own hearts would be helpful. How many times have resentment, jealousy, or anger tempted us to do something that we knew was wrong? Have we ever caught ourselves seriously contemplating something against God’s law out of a desire for revenge or as a way of blowing off steam? Even within the church, we can find ourselves speaking against people whose experience of God or expression of faith doesn’t conform to our own.
So how can we make sure that our own irrational temptations don’t overpower us and make us act like these Pharisees? Here are a few simple suggestions: Don’t let any particular temptation become too strong before you deal with it. If you see an issue becoming too dominant in your mind, try to resolve it—even if all you can do is bring it to prayer. As hard as it may be, try not to let old resentments and past hurts influence your thinking. If you see them rising up in a situation, be very careful not to say something you may regret later. Finally, examine your conscience every night before bed, and repent of any lingering sins or negative thoughts. Keep your heart pliable and open to the Spirit, and you’ll find yourself far more forgiving and open toward everyone else.
“Holy Spirit, soften my heart. Teach me how to love, and help me to forgive. I want to walk in your freedom!”
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