Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
September 6, 2021
Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 437
Reading I
Brothers and sisters:
I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his Body, which is the Church,
of which I am a minister
in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me
to bring to completion for you the word of God,
the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.
But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim,
admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labor and struggle,
in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.
For I want you to know how great a struggle I am having for you
and for those in Laodicea
and all who have not seen me face to face,
that their hearts may be encouraged
as they are brought together in love,
to have all the richness of assured understanding,
for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Responsorial Psalm
- (8) In God is my safety and my glory.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
R. In God is my safety and my glory.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him;
God is our refuge!
R. In God is my safety and my glory.
Alleluia
- Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up and stand before us.”
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
“Stretch out your hand.”
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.
Reflection: DOING GOOD IS ABOVE THE RULE
On a Sabbath day Jesus came into the synagogue. There was a man with a withered hand. Jesus made him stand in the middle and asked this question: What is right...to do good or to do evil, to kill or to cure someone? This question looks as if there are options. However, there are no options. Will you opt to do good or to do evil? To cure or to send away unhealed...truly there is no option. Jesus put this question only to challenge the authorities and then to prove that he had authority to break the rules of Sabbath...he tells the man: 'stretch out your hand'... the man did so. He was healed. The crowd felt happy. Jesus healed that man when faced with such options: to heal or to kill, to do good or to do evil. What are we willing to opt for? Opt to do good or do evil. Will we be afraid of 'God's law' and forego the chance to do good?