A reading from the gospel according to Luke 14:1-6

1 On a sabbath Jesus 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.
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 falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?”
6 But they were unable to answer his question.

Reflection: Worship with love

The Sabbath is not only a day to rest but more importantly a sacred day dedicated to worship the Creator of man and of the Sabbath. To worship God does not consist only in going to church, memorizing prayers and shouting Alleluia. More importantly, we worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23), meaning, we worship with sincerity, humility and love in our heart as well as with faith, knowing fully well that we are worshipping the one true God who loves us so much.

Our worship is not sincere if we worship only with our lips and without compassion for our fellowmen (Matthew 15:8). Thus, observing the Sabbath or Sunday for that matter is meaningless if we lack compassion for people in need. This does not mean that participating in church activities and performing rituals are no longer important. It only means they should not hinder us for doing what is necessary such as meeting an emergency.

Jesus does not require us to be religious. He demands that we love.