Today’s Gospel tells us about how Jesus accepted an invitation to the house of a prominent Pharisee. Jesus took the invitation to the Pharisee’s house. He avoided no one and knew how to get everyone, even the Pharisees. Thus, he showed his feelings and kindness towards man. But suddenly, a sick person appeared among those present. Whether he was invited as a guest or came alone, the Gospel does not say. He had dropsy, which was a sign of severe heart and kidney disease. The Gospel says that the Pharisees and scribes present were watching Jesus all the time since he came, what he would say and do. They were incredibly attentive now that a sick person had arrived. Indeed, many were surprised by the thought: “It is the Sabbath; perhaps he will heal him.” It seems that Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked them: “Is it free to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” (Luke 14:3). There were different opinions among the Jews on this question. There was a general opinion that it is not allowed to heal on the Sabbath unless there is a danger of death. The Pharisees present also held this opinion, but perhaps they were embarrassed to say it out loud in this situation. Maybe that is why it is said: “But they kept silent” (Luke 14:4a). The strict Pharisees forbade rescuing an animal that had fallen into a cistern or well on the Sabbath. It was only permitted to feed it and wait for the end of the Sabbath, i.e., at six o’clock in the evening. More moderate, the Pharisees allowed the animal to be saved immediately. Jesus told them, “If one of you has a son or an ox fall into a well, will he not immediately pull him out, even on the Sabbath?” (Luke 14:5).
In this question, Jesus approved that if such a thing happens, the animal can be saved. And if this happens to a person, no one doubts that he needs to be held all the more. Even more so when it’s your child, should a sick person be denied rescue? But they did not know how to answer him (cf. Lk 14:6). Jesus gave them a clear answer by taking the sick man, “healing him and letting him go” (Lk 14:4b). Jesus had previously asked: “If one of you has a son who falls into the well…” That is if he falls into the well ` your son.
God accepted us as his children. We have become sons and daughters of God because of his love. And so God shows that he cares about every person. He is figuratively speaking – `restless’ if one of his sons or daughters falls into a well. And that’s why she comes to get him out of her because she loves him very much. In this case, he pulls the person out of the well by healing him. He doesn’t care that it’s Saturday. It is a sacred time in which such things must not be done. The Pharisees forbade healing on the Sabbath. And so they caused man to be here for the Sabbath and not the Sabbath for man. Even worse. They drove that God was not here on the Sabbath for man. And suddenly, here comes Jesus, who answers that clearly. The purpose and fulfillment of the law is love. That’s why he healed a man on Saturday. He healed him not only as a sign to answer the Pharisees. He healed a man as a sign that God had come among his people.
And she is with him, especially on Saturdays, when he believes and belongs to God. God himself wanted to be with man. The proof of this is that Jesus healed a man. That was a sign that God is among us. The one who is expected has already arrived. It’s him – Jesus. However, he was in the flesh as a man, which was an obstacle for the Pharisees to believe in him as the Son of God. He was, so he could afford to interpret the law “in his way”. That is why he could heal a person even on Saturday because he was the giver of this Saturday. Thus, Saturday Day becomes a sign, the day of the Lord – God’s mercy. The Jews celebrated the Lord’s day on Saturday, that is, on the seventh day of the week. After the resurrection of Jesus, this day became Sunday for us Christians because, on Sunday morning, Jesus rose from the dead. Therefore, the content of Sunday is the resurrection of Christ, his new life that reigned in the whole creation. God wants us to seek him more intensively than ever at this time. It is the time when he wants to be with us, and he wants us to want to be with him.
Together, we pray: Lord, let us seek you for your love for us. Let us seek and find you. Let us know you. Let us experience the power of your presence, for you are always near.
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