Lord of the Sabbath

Murder is an easy sin to avoid.

So is explicit idolatry.

Keeping holy the Sabbath Day… that’s a challenge for many nowadays (including myself).

In today’s Gospel (Luke 6:1-5), our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ puts the Sabbath regulations of that time in their proper place and relative priority: not as high as the Scribes and the Pharisees made them.

Today we have gone the exact opposite of the Scribes and Pharisees: the Sabbath is just another day – either just another work and commerce day or just another recreation day of the “all-important” weekend.

We have made ourselves, our pleasure and our convenience, Lord of the Sabbath.

In such a world, those who keep holy the Sabbath day are powerful witnesses to a Lordship greater than personal pleasure and convenience.

In such a world, for example, I personally have been edified by the sight of Orthodox Jews walking through the grass along the side of the road on a hot and humid Sabbath.

In such a world, we can give witness by reserving Sundays to faith and family.

In such a world, the great Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter Dies Domini is an important resource.

We need to keep holy the Sabbath day.

We need to show to the world that the Lordship belongs not to burdensome regulations, nor to personal pleasure, nor to the modern gods of convenience.

Our Savior Jesus Christ is Lord of all and Lord of the Sabbath.