April 1, 2025

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Lectionary 245

John 5:1-3,5-16:

Meditation

How excellent that someone sick for so long was finally well again! How unfortunate that some eyewitnesses could not share the joy of the moment—all because they were rigid in their religious beliefs. They were so concerned about their actions that they could not see what God was doing. They had lost the Sabbath spirit, a willingness to rest and allow God to speak to our stillness and change our hearts.

At La Salette, Mary voiced concern about people's failure to observe the Sabbath spirit properly. Her concern was not limited to what people did on the Sabbath day. She noted that their actions on the Sabbath revealed something was amiss in their relationship with God on the other days of the week. They lacked the Sabbath spirit. They had become so preoccupied with business matters that they were unaware of God.

Similarly, we can become preoccupied with schedules, future planning, and even church-related activities and still lack a genuine Sabbath spirit. Making time for God is a challenge because it means more than simply squeezing a bit more prayer into an already hectic schedule. Accurate Sabbath time is what is needed.

Reflection Questions

• Do I distort the spirit of the Sabbath by hanging on to specific ideas about God?
• Do I distort the spirit of the Sabbath by maintaining a hectic lifestyle?