St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Augustinian Parish Church, Atlantic City, NJ
THERE ARE MANY LESSONS we can learn from the Readings of today’s Mass...1Kings 17-32ff. All those who are familiar with the Old Testament...can recall from childhood the story of DAVID & GOLIATH....of how Good triumphs over Evil....that the Spiritual must be placed... ALWAYS OVER & ABOVE....the Material & the Worldy.
KING DAVID is GOD’S INSTRUMENT...& with God’s help...David comes close to being the “ALL POWERFUL” Leader of his people. So, we should pray with the Psalmist in PS 17: 2-4...”Blessed is the Lord...my Rock, my Refuge, my Fortress, my Stronghold, my Deliverer, my Shield....In whom I Trust.”
THIS STORY is SYMBOLIC. It reminds one of another Lesson: CHRIST’S VICTORY over Sin, Satan & Death itself.....in His Final Victory as JUDGE of the Living & Dead.......at the END of Time.
ANOTHER LESSON: The Sabbath Day is HOLY. Christ frequently Scolded the Pharisees for their Hypocrisy. He objected to their binding system of numerous Laws....on the Sabbath...which destroys their TRUE MEANING.
THE 4TH COMMANDMENT states: “Remember the Sabbath Day...to keep it Holy” GOD ordered the HUMAN RACE to...ABSTAIN from all Un-necessary heavy work, labor or toil. God made the Sabbath...so that it would NOT BE “business as Usual”. Moreover, the TEN Commandments are DIVINE LAW....& no HUMAN POWER OR AUTHORITY can Change or Deny....their Acceptance or Obedience.
HERE IN THE USA there is a “Creeping Commercialism”.....that Glorifies the DOLLAR.........& Stresses the Material Superiority over the Spiritual. GOD HAS GIVEN US all these specific commands...just so we can Think, Ponder & Pray about Him...& these Spiritual Matters.....that have ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES.
NO WONDER OUR LORD looked upon the Pharisees with JUSTIFIABLE ANGER! They actually refused to admit...that doing a Good Deed on the Sabbath..(Healing a Man with a withered Hand)... in Charity & Mercy....is Perfectly OK with God! The Spiritual ALWAYS surpasses the Material.
WE SHOULD NOT LET ANYONE....WHETHER GOVERNMENT OR INDIVIDUAL...TURN THIS
TRUTH UPSIDE DOWN.....AS OUR MODERN DAY CULTURE OFTEN DEMANDS.