In Spite Of Their Rich Spiritual Heritage

 

Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Friday of 30th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, November 3rd, 2023
Texts: Romans 9:1-5; Psalm 147:12-15,19-20; Luke 14:1-6 

St. Paul declares, today, his concern for the loss the of his people, the people of God. They were lost in spite of their rich spiritual heritage. He says, “They are Israelites, and to them belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ.” Their spiritual heritage made no impact on them. 

Their spiritual heritage did not save them because they did not apply it in the Spirit of the Lord. They rather weaponised the heritage and made it instrument of death. We read, “And  Jesus spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?’ ... ‘Which of you, having an ass or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?’” God gave them the law to guide them but sought in the law life itself; law has no life in itself. God gives life by living the law. We gain life by living the law through Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Christ healed the man who had dropsy

The spiritual heritage of the people is fulfilled and made active in Jesus Christ. This is clear as Jesus Christ healed the man who had dropsy. We read, “Then he took him and healed him, and let him go.” It is in Jesus Christ that the spiritual heritage of God becomes meaningful and is applied right. We have in Jesus Christ better sonship, covenant, glory, worship, the law of love and promise of eternal life. 

Prayer  

Teach us, Lord, to love You and to live according to Your will; may we apply our spiritual heritage according to the Spirit of the Lord, that we may experience its saving power. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke