Lk 6: 6-11
On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” He got up and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?” After looking around at all of them, he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Don’t Get Distracted by Bunny Rabbits
Early in my teaching career, I received some valuable advice from a colleague who told me, “when you’re hunting elephants, don’t get distracted by the bunny rabbits.” Elephants are the big things in life, the things that truly matter, the bigger picture, priorities. Bunnies are distractions- the things that we think matter, but all things considered, they really don’t. In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees get distracted by the bunny rabbits while Jesus is hunting elephants. While the Pharisees chase policies and protocols and the structures of the law, Jesus shows us that it’s more important to pursue love, compassion, mercy, and healing, even if it’s the sabbath.
Today, identify the bunnies that distract you from your primary charge to love and care for people and minister to others with compassion and mercy. Ask God to help you be more attentive to the needs of others.
—Jackie Schulte is the Dean of Faculty Formation at Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha, Nebraska.
Prayer
God, I wish from now on
to be the first to become conscious of all that the world loves,
pursues, and suffers;
I want to be the first to seek,
to sympathize, and to suffer;
the first to unfold and sacrifice myself,
to become more widely human
and more nobly of the earth
than any of the world’s servants.
Amen
—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ