Saint Francis of Assisi by Ermes Dovico

GOSPEL PEARLS

Full of Prejudices

The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death. (Mk 3:6)

Gospel Pearls 22_01_2020

Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death. (Mk 3:1-6)

Jesus’s behavior as the Lord of the Sabbath, implicitly affirms His divine nature. This is unbearable for those who, full of prejudices, decide not to adhere to the evangelical teaching He witnessed authoritatively with words and deeds. Those who oppose Jesus, despite the evidence, today as in the past, have only two choices: to convert or reject Christ. In the latter case, the hatred towards Christ and his disciples can become strong enough to lead to murder. Let’s intercede with the Lord to help those who fight against Him, both with our prayer and witness, without fear or sloth.