Monday September 6, 2021 - Twenty-third week of Ordinary Time - My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 6, 6-11

In Jewish culture, the Sabbath day, by law, is reserved for serving God. Nothing can be done except praise God. To break this commandment is to commit a mortal sin, for it is a sign of disrespect of disobedience towards God. To be clearer, in our time it is only permissible to go to church to celebrate the Eucharist.

Jesus, on his way to the synagogue to keep the law, met a man whose hand was withered. He was spied on to know whether or not he is going to heal this man, in order to find a pretext to condemn him. It is well known that Jesus, faced with the evils suffered by men, cannot and does not know how to remain indifferent: he must act. Knowing full well the ulterior motives and malicious intentions of his detractors, Jesus commanded the man to stand up and said to the others: "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil? save a life or lose it? "

It is therefore important to take courage in both hands and dare to do good, ignoring any judgments and condemnations, as long as it is a question of saving a life. Jesus' position is unequivocal about the Sabbath: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mk. 2, 27) and to Saint Irenaeus to add: "The most the great glory of God is that man be alive ". Jesus came into the world to save all people at all times.

For this saving mission, which Jesus entrusted to his disciples, to continue, we must oppose any form of degradation of man, namely the abuse of power, and loudly proclaim the truth. . In other words, eradicate the culture of selfishness, the vile spirit of this world, which leads to death.

Following the example of Jesus, let us neither be afraid nor ashamed to do good, he who died for the truth, but has risen forever.