Mk 2:23-28 Law and Love

Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
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As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.  At this the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" He said to them, "...The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath." 

Lord of all hopefulness.   God is for us; He is not against us.  He wants to help us, not hurt us.  His laws were not given to us to make life more difficult for us; they were given to make life more meaningful to us.  The Pharisees used the law to point people out.  The Lord used the law to help people out.  "I did not come to save the righteous but sinners" (Lk 5:32).    

Love one another as I have loved you.  Christ gave His greatest commandment when He begged his Apostles to "love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 13:34).  He said these words near the end of His life, when temperatures were running high and persecution lurked around the corner.  He knew what His Apostles were thinking.  He knew what was lacking in their hearts.  He knew their fears.  He knew their lack of faith. 

Brothers.  Do not forget love.   Remember to keep loving as I have loved you.  Remember...because it is so easy to forget.  Remember...because it is so easy to lash out.  Remember...because it is so easy to turn a blind eye.


Eric Kunkel is being called a hero.  What did he do?  Nothing special. 

Shanell Mouland and her 3-yr-old daughter Kate had a wonderful time in Florida at Disney World.  The flight back home would not be so wonderful, though.  You see Kate has autism, and she can be a bit of a challenge on long flights.  In the past, passengers, who sat next to her, have not always been very kind to her or her mother.  So Shanell was concerned, very concerned that they would have an unpleasant experience.  In fact, she was dreading the flight back home.

Sitting next to Kate was Eric Kunkel, a young business man with a laptop in hand and a lot of work to do.  He was planning on getting it all done during the flight.  But that idea went out the window when little Kate sat next to him.  As soon as the plane took off Kate began a "conversation" with Eric... and she kept going on and on and on.  At one moment, young Kate called Eric "Daddy!"  So what did Eric do?  He put away his laptop and turned on his ipad, and he and Kate had a wonderful time chitchatting and talking about very important things.  They went at it all the way home.   

Ms. Mouland was so impressed with Eric's kindness that she wrote about the experience on her blog.

What did Eric do?  Nothing special, really.  But, then again, love becomes special when it becomes increasingly rare.  The same is true of marriage and family.  Two things we take for granted. 
Christ took free love and turned it into a commandment.  He did well.  It is a strong reminder for all of us during very disturbing times.