30TH FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 14:1-6) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?.” (Lk 14:3)

FIRST READING - Rom 9:1-5

^"For I could wish that I myself were separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh."

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans

¹ I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the holy Spirit in bearing me witness ² that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were accursed and separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh. ⁴ They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; ⁵ theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Messiah. God who is over all^[c] be blessed forever. Amen.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 14:1-6

"Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?"

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

¹ On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. ² In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy.^{[b] 3} Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?” ⁴ But they kept silent; so he took the man and, after he had healed him, dismissed him. ⁵ Then he said to them, “Who among you, if your son or ox^[c] falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?” ⁶ But they were unable to answer his question.

30TH FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 14:1-6)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear people of God,

In today’s Word of God, God the Father calls His children to be watchful in observing the law that God the Father bestows upon humanity, which is the law of love.

If we walk on the path of love, we will inherit happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven. Otherwise, Satan will lead us astray from the path of love, interweaving hatred and jealousy into it.

God the Father desires all His children, who are weak and full of sin, to cling to the law of love that God the Father has given, to walk on that path.

Do not exploit the law to diminish the light and grace that God the Father has placed upon it. For Satan will cause humanity to misinterpret the law given by God the Father, interpreting it rigidly.

God the Father wishes to remind His children that the law God the Father bestows is the law of love, the law that brings eternal life to humanity, not a law that leads to eternal death.

We must listen to God the Father's teachings and put them into practice, and we will enjoy happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven. Otherwise, we will fall into Satan's traps.

They will lurk, seeking to tear apart, seeking to tempt humanity to deviate from the law of love that God the Father has given to humanity.

Today's Word of God, God reminds humanity that:

• Do not observe the law rigidly and harshly, for doing so, we will fall into Satan's trap, which leads humanity to eternal death.

• Let the law of love be rooted in charity and generosity of heart, always oriented towards God.

• Practice this law of love! It is the law that always brings eternal life to humanity. When love is always placed above all else, it will please God the Father.

Yet, if observing the law results only in death and eternal suffering to humanity, it is not from God the Father, but rather it is Satan's temptation that has infiltrated the very soul and body of humanity, aiming thereby to resist God the Father's law.

Therefore, God the Father reminds His children today to place the law of charity and love above all other laws.

Thanks be to God. Amen.