Is It Lawful to Do Good on the Sabbath?
In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks. “ is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than destroy it ” (Luke 6:9)? In the Theology course that I teach, on the Fundamentals of Catholic Moral Theology, I specifically address this question with my students. The scenario goes something like this: A doctor and her family are on their way to Sunday Mass when they come upon a serious car accident. The doctor stopped her car to give comfort and aid to the victims of the crash, until the paramedics arrived. As a result, she and her family missed the last Mass of the day. What I ask of my students is to tell me whether missing Mass is a sin, in this case. What do you think is the correct answer? Do Good in the Spirit of the Law In today’s passage from Luke, Jesus is asking a similar question of the Pharisees. In Jesus’ questioning, He debates the Pharisees on the strictness of the law, versus the spirit of the law. What Jesus tried to convey is... ...