A Sabbath which hinders the Good deeds is not a Sabbath at all

Gospel Thoughts

30th Week : Friday

GOSPEL Lk 14:1-6

First Reading - Phil 1:1-11

*A Sabbath which hinders the Good deeds is not a Sabbath at all*

*1) Sabbath means praising God and Doing Good*

When we speak about Holiness, we are sure that in Holiness there can't be unholy things 

So also when we speak about Sabbath, it is quite reasonable that there should not be a things which goes against the Spirit of Sabbath

Basically Sabbath means praising God and Thanking God for his great wonders in our life. 

So it is also true that Sabbath means doing good and spreading the same goodness of the Lord in and around us. 

*2) The Sabbath Spirit of the Pharisees went against the true Spirit of Sabbath* 

The sabbath spirit of the Pharisees were only one sided. They saw only what they have to do as a law demanded them to do 

They saw only One side and forgot the other side. For them paying attention to the other side was going against the spirit of the Sabbath. In fact this was a wrong notion

*3) Sabbath is to Love God and also Love the Neighbour*

The first commandment of the Lord, that is the *Love Commandment* makes it very clear that both the sides are very important. 

There is love commandment which only speaks about the Love of God excluding the Love of the Neighbour. 

So also there is no only Love of the Neighbour without having any reference to the Love of God. 

*4) The Pharisees spirit of observing the Sabbath was only limited to the Love of God*

According to the Spirit of the Pharisees, they left out the neigbhour and paid attention only to God. 

Such a spirit of the sabbath makes sabbath incomplete or fruitless. 

Sabbath can't highlight only one aspect of the first commandment and leave the other one. So their concept totally went wrong. 

*5) Sabbath is Characterized by Good works* 

This is the real spirit. Sabbath should lead us to do something great and good. 

This something great and good is always directed towards the other, i.e. the neighbour. So real spirit of the sabbath should make us to move towards the neighbour to help him/ her in whatever way possible and whatever way the person is in need. 

*6) For doing good there is no time and place* 

Good can be done everywhere and at any time. Good can be done at any time and at any place and on any day. 

In fact when Jesus wanted to do good, he saw only the good that has to be done. Nothing else. That is the strategy of Jesus 

*7) Good is always directed towards another being*

If our good deeds do not have any reference to the *other* or another fellow human being, such kind of good is not at all a good. 

Good should always have a reference to others. 

In the Gospel the good is seen the act of curing a person by Jesus on the sabbath day. So the good is directed towards a needy person. 

*8) What about my Spirit of Sabbath?*

Do I follow the legalistic understanding of the spirit of the Sabbath? 

Is my sabbath spirit hindering me from becoming a genuine human person? 

Do I see in my sabbath two separate division between love of God and love of neighbour? 

Do I value the love of the neighbour on the sabbath day? 

How can I observe sabbath in a more genuine way? 

*Think about it*

*God bless you   your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*