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Gospel Reading for September 07, 2026 – Luke 6: 6-11
RIGID LEGALISM
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.
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Laws are made to keep people safe, protect fundamental rights, and maintain order in society. One of the fundamental rights of every human being is the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, as stated in the Constitution of the World Health Organization in 1946. Nothing has changed from then until now. All of God’s creation is precious in his sight and is meant to be cared for.
Jesus, being the Son of God, knew this very well, and he aptly reinforced it on a Sabbath, the Day of the Lord.
For the Pharisees, what was more important was their own interpretation of God’s laws. They gave greater importance to detailed rules about Sabbath observance, ritual purity, and tithing, making God appear to be the opposite of who he truly is—merciless, thoughtless, and unjust. Their RIGID LEGALISM replaced God’s benevolent image with that of an exacting taskmaster who demanded compliance over understanding.
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7)
Lord Jesus, help us to understand your laws and to follow them as you would want us to. Amen.
