Read Online
Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am
at work.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him,
because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his
own father, making himself equal to God. John 5:17–18
The context of today’s Gospel is important. The lines above come at
the conclusion of the story of Jesus healing the paralytic at the
Pool of Bethesda. The man had been crippled for thirty-eight years,
and Jesus healed him, telling the man, “Rise, take up your mat, and
walk” (John 5:8). Though the miracle was awe-inspiring, the rigid
Pharisees quickly chastised the man for carrying his mat, which
they saw as a violation of the Sabbath law.
While God commanded through Moses, “Remember the sabbath day, and
keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), it was the Pharisees who created
lengthy and detailed interpretations of that commandment. They
identified numerous forms of work they believed were forbidden,
including carrying a mat.
When Jesus healed the man and told him to rise and pick up his mat,
the Pharisees believed Jesus violated the Law of Moses in two ways.
First, they claimed that the healing itself was a form of work and
thus a violation of the Sabbath. Second, they saw Jesus’
instruction to the man to pick up his mat as a disregard for the
prohibition against work, encouraging the man to break the
Sabbath.
To us, these condemnations may seem extreme and legalistic, but to
the Pharisees, Jesus acted unlawfully and they began to persecute
Him.
What is useful to ponder is Jesus’ response to the criticism. When
someone criticizes us, we might become defensive, respond in kind
with criticism, or even backtrack in our actions. Criticism and
persecution can tempt us to fear, and that fear can pressure us
into compliance to avoid consequences. Jesus, however, did not take
this approach.
Instead, Jesus reaffirms His divine authority to perform works of
mercy on the Sabbath, declaring Himself Lord of the Sabbath. He
says, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” In other
words, Jesus connects His work of healing with the ongoing work of
the Father, the source of the Law. If His act of healing came from
the Father—the One who gave the Ten Commandments—then His healing
could not be a violation of the Law.
The rest of today’s Gospel is a longer discourse on this point:
“The Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the
Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also.” Jesus
declares His oneness with the Father, revealing their perfect unity
of being and action. This unity, rooted in their shared divine
nature, is central to our understanding of the Trinity—Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit—consubstantial and eternally one in being.
Jesus’ goal was not to defend Himself against the Pharisees’
criticism or to resolve the conflict. His goal was to proclaim the
truth, even though it would further enrage the Pharisees. He did
not fear their judgment, was not intimidated by their condemnation,
and did not allow their rigid legalism to stop Him. Instead, He
spoke clearly and openly to them about the truth, in
love.
Reflect today on how you handle rash judgment, criticism, and false
accusations. Do you let criticism lead to fear or anxiety? Do you
respond with anger or try to defend yourself? Or do you confront
errors with truth, sharing that truth with love and confidence?
Fear and anger come in many forms and can deeply affect the way we
relate to others. Though they are different emotions, they are
often interwoven, emerging together in our hearts. Pray that God
will dispel all fear and replace anger with courage and truth. Like
Jesus, we must speak and act in communion with the Father’s will,
rejecting the intimidation and manipulation of those who falsely
accuse us.
Most Holy Father in Heaven, You sent us Your divine Son to dwell
among us and be our Savior. All that Your Son did was in union with
You, fulfilling Your glorious works. Please adopt me as Your child
so that I will also fulfill Your will, becoming a greater
instrument of Your works in the world. Most Holy Trinity, I trust
in You.
Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com —
Copyright 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This
content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use.
Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use
within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without
written permission.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.