Saturday Sept. 5, 2009

Readings: Colossians 1: 21-23 Psalm 54: Luke 6: 1-5
Psalm Response: " God Himself is my help"

Paul, in his usual style, has difficulty ending a sentence! Since he probably didn't
personally hand write the words but had a scribe to do this chore, in his dictation, thoughts arose while he was dictating, so his sentences seemed too long for our culture.
However, his purpose was always clear! His converts to Christianity were to remain faithful to his teaching; persevering even when others around them were either ignorant of God's word or they reverted to their pagan ways when he or another Apostle wasn't present to correct them.
Like us, he urges them to remain steadfast to the principles he taught them. Paul knew from his own experience the Faith would develop in the years beyond his own. Consequently, his letters to the churches would act as the response to questions they might have about the Faith. We are privileged to have the same Tradition even until our day almost 2000 years after he had posted his last letter. Papal encyclicals are meant to update, with the societal mores of our time. Therefore, when a Pope writes on Faith and Morals, we Catholics are to believe his writings with a firm resolution to put his writings into practice.
Sometimes the Popes wrote on difficult subjects at cross-purposes to the society, i.e. "Humanae Vitae", but, as in that case, Pope Paul's warnings have become fact with respect for life relegated to the trash heap. As Christians, we must always and in every case regard disrespect for life in any stage to be sinful, even to Anathema.

In the Gospel passage, Jesus, affirms His Divinity to the Pharisees. He, the Son of Man, is the Lord of the sabbath. While they were scrupulous in keeping the Law and the traditions, to the letter, leaving no room for compassion, He told them not to be so strident as human suffering (hunger) is to be satisfied before tradition and the Law!