Saturday is a very important day for Israel; It is the day of the Old Covenant, the day of rest

 

Saturday is a very important day for Israel; It is the day of the Old Covenant, the day of rest (cf. Ex 34:21), the day of the Lord. Every Jew, therefore, must live this day focused on family and God. Such importance allowed, little by little, the enslavement of the Jews to the Sabbath, a form of blind and inhuman dependence. The seventh day of the week has become a very heavy burden due to so many superficial laws inserted into it. Mt narrates this fact, placing Jesus above the Temple in importance and highlighting mercy beyond sacrifice. Mc, in turn, adds the superiority of man over “Saturday”. Luke's text is the most summarized of the three.

Jesus relativizes the Sabbath. The Pharisaic reaction[1] to the disciples' attitude in picking up the ears of wheat reveals a very great weakness in understanding the DAY OF THE LORD. When making a comparison with what David did, when he was coming from persecution caused by Saul, when he ate the sacred bread, due only to the priests (Lev 24,5-9). The teaching is evident that in the face of extreme need, the law is suspended, in this case, the prescriptions of the Sabbath. Life is more important than any law, because the law exists in favor of life, which is a gift from God. In turn, the disciples, acting the way they did, give the impression that they were at ease with Jesus, they had a form of security capable of allowing them to be bold on the Sabbath day; they were beginning to glimpse a tremendous change in the way of understanding the Law of God, placing them in the condition of free men.

Saturday must be the day in which man lives his condition of image and likeness with God, through the exercise of his autonomy turned towards the Lord; It is also the day to remember the liberation of God's people (Ex 20,11; Dt 5,15). This original meaning is being established by Jesus, who reveals himself as the Lord of the Sabbath. The key to understanding the Law of God is Jesus Christ, the only Word of the Father, all of the Father's teaching for humanity. He is the transforming Word, the saving Message, the liberating Newness, perceived more clearly after his death and resurrection.

Resurrection Sunday, the day of the New and Eternal Covenant, is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Saturday; It is the day of glorification of Jesus, of the new creation, of the New Covenant, of victory over death, sin and Satan; It is the day of faith of the Church, the new people of God. The Sabbath of the Old Testament fulfilled its mission as a preparatory promise for Sunday, the Lord's day. Sunday is the day of true appreciation of human dignity, of its autonomy and liberation, the day of the Christian family and its communion with God, the day of charity and solidarity par excellence, the whole day for God and for the good of humanity. I hope to God that the rest due to the Lord's Day is truly lived with intense joy, charm and availability on the Sunday of the Resurrected One, the Son of Man, the Lord of the Sabbath, the resurrected Victor, our Law par excellence.

The Day of the Lord manifests itself in mercy. All sacrifices to God are useless if you do not have a heart for those who suffer all kinds of misfortune, such as: abandonment, disillusionment, depression, hunger and thirst, injustice, exploitation, slavery, ignorance of the truth, illnesses, Among other things. Jesus himself listed the things that make his disciples blessed: giving food to those who are hungry, giving drink to those who are thirsty, clothing those who are naked, welcoming strangers, visiting those in hospitals and prisons (cf. . Mt 25,35-45). Whoever claims to have faith, but does not care about the good of others, lies and still becomes cursed, someone useless, condemned to eternal death. What meaning does the Lord's Day have for those who only care about themselves? Is there any value in not working on the day of Jesus' Resurrection and, at the same time, neglecting one's own salvation and charity? On the other hand, is it worth anything to go to divine worship, participate in holy mass, and not let go of your business, your ambitions, on the Lord's Day?