Lord of the Sabbath

Homily for Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

The concept of a day of rest on the Sabbath comes from the Book of Genesis. “On the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing; he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.” We know that human beings and all the creatures of nature were created on the sixth day. If you stop to think about it, the very first day after human creation was a day off. Work did not start until the second day of human creation.

Rest is an important part of our lives. No matter which medical article you read on the subject, rest and sleep are considered of prime importance. There are even some who say that dementia in old age is related to the lack of enough sleep in one’s life. Most of us here are at a point in our lives when our energy has flagged, and we find ourselves dozing off as we read or enjoy some entertainment on the radio or television. Some of us have difficulty sleeping. However, I think we all know how important it is for our health to get enough rest.

The law regarding the Sabbath has been interpreted by Scripture scholars as God’s way of providing a way to escape enslavement to work and a headlong pursuit of money. What the Pharisees accuse the disciples of doing in today’s Gospel text can hardly be called an enslavement to work or a pursuit of wealth. The Pharisees have forgotten the purpose of the law and have enshrined the letter of the law.

Yesterday’s Gospel reminded us that old wine was to be stored in old wineskins while new wine had to be stored in new wineskins. Jesus’ teaching indicates that something new is developing through his mission. He is the new wine. His blood is the inauguration of the new covenant. This does not mean that we can be workaholics; a life without rest is still a problem. However, Jesus teaches us that the person must come before the law. God’s love and mercy are expressed in in the concern for a day of rest. However, God’s love and mercy must always place the person before the law.

As we receive communion today, let us do so in such a way that we realize that we are being blessed by a good and merciful God.