LAWS ARE MADE FOR MAN AND NOT MAN FOR THE LAW (HOMILY FOR SARURDAY OF THE 22ND WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR II

Homily for Saturday of the 22nd week in the ordinary time year II

Theme: Laws are made for man and not man for the law

1Cor 4:6-15; Luke 6:1-5

In the first reading of the liturgy of the word today. St. Paul guides us to acknowledge that everything we have received comes from God. He says: What do you have that you did not received? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? (1Cor 4:7). e g health, eduction,wealth, the air we breath etc. They are all birthed by God's providence. Hence, like St. Paul, we say instead, "By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain" (1Cor 15:10). We must show gratitude to God for his benevolence.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus indoctrinated the Scribes and the Pharisees  on purpose or spirit of the law that guides the observance of the Sabbath. For the Pharisees,  it was forbidden to pluck grains in the hands and eat on the Sabbath day (Lk 6:1-2). For them it is a violation of the law of the sabbath. For the sabbath is a holy day of obligation and you shall not do any work (Ex 20:8-11). That is what the letter of the law asserted. However, Jesus insisted that the essence/purpose and spirit of the law is essentially for the service and dignity of man. The law is not meant to enlave man nor subject man to ridicule but to uplift the dignity of man in relation to God. The law guides man to fulfil the purpose of the Sabbath, which is to bring salvation to man by keeping him in communion with God. Hence, Jesus reminded the pharisees of the case of David and his men who while fleeing the wrath of King Saul, became seriously hungry, came to the tarbanacle and begged Abimelech the high priest for food. Abimelech gave them food taken from the altar, which was meant only for the priests to eat (1samuel 21:1-6). Hence, Abimelech understood that primacy must be given to the salvation of the human person for which is the spirit of the law. The law is meant to give life to man and not subject him to death.

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, some times we find our selves in the corridor of leadership and authority, in positions where we are given the prerogative to make laws for the interest of the family, goups, society, communities, etc that we live in. The questions are:  What purpose guides the formation of those laws? What purpose does the spirit of those laws address? Do they bring about the acknowledgment of the human dignity? Are they salvific? Do they serve the purpose of fostering the relationship man and God? Or the law enslave man and subject him to thw clutches of death.

Friends in Christ, Jesus reawakens our conscious to the fact that every letter of the law must be geared towards the fulfilment of the spirit of the law which fosters human dignity in every respect. 

May God bless his words in our hearts through Christ our lord. Amen

Have a happy day 

Fr Remi osj