Different concerns, and humanizing action
(Mk 3:1-6)
Doing good and raising the real person - as he is, in his own uniqueness - is the only non-negotiable value; criterion of the whole Gospel.
Even the Torah in its core and sense wanted to be an important means of human, personal, religious pedagogy - not the end.
The norms accompany us willingly, when they facilitate the way to dialogue with the Lord in us and in our brothers and sisters. But the "letter" is cold and unfounded in itself.
Once the Meeting has taken place, priority must be given to God’s Project, solicitous to realize and make us flourish; not to procedures.
In fact, the prescriptions put everyone and always on alert towards the ‘different need’.
For this reason, solidarity and fraternity are placed above any devotional and identity homage, or doctrinal necessity, as well as external observance of worship [if lived by automatons].
The same norms must be understood so that they lead to life ‘with’ and ‘in’ Christ - for the realization and fullness of being.
Otherwise the scrupulous virtue of religion turns into malicious action and vice of faith - which loses the totality of the person (v.4).
In this way, on synagogue day, there is no need to celebrate a restoration that stamps the clock.
Rather, we gather in assembly to better restore women and men to their dignity as sublime beings, to be promoted in an unlimited way.
The Sabbath of the Messiah is not a day of custom’s partiality: it is a time of recovered well-being - of Liberation and Creation, of promotion of the vital energies, according to the original and full Plan of the Father.
In fact, in the place of the habitual rite, where the traditional compressed mentality prevails, Jesus does not go to pray, but to teach and cure.
Not even the paralyzed person had asked for healing - so much it seemed normal to him to be there in that way and not to receive attention or any stimulus; not even the good.
Nevertheless, Love is the core and essence of the Law: even in the precept day, help was allowed by same prescriptions, in case of extreme need or repercussion on others.
Jesus is saying that unlocking the person who cannot do anything good [«arid hand»: vv.1.3] is a matter of life or death, even for the whole community [heal or «annihilate»: v.4].
Observing the Lord’s day means, even for us: strengthening the expressive possibilities of humanity and reintegrating it into a ‘new order’.
In order to fulfil the redemptive 'precept', deviant attitudes must first also be assumed, and saved - like preparatory energies for new arrangements.
We can’t afford further neglect.
The crisis that affects everyone leaks the difference between... unconscious content, and truth; fossilizations and hidden energies; religiosity and Faith - character of life in Christ and in the Spirit.
In its sides of limitation and Completeness, legalism or Liberation, stasis and Rebirth, return to "as always" or Regeneration, formalism and Joy [so on], today discernment becomes more acute.
Having already judged it useless to take advantage of the official religious institution to introduce into it the newness of the Kingdom, in chapter 3 of the Gospel of Mark a new community project is advocated.
In this work, the Lord always starts from the masses abandoned by their shepherds; showing us the way.
[Wednesday 2nd wk. in O.T. January 22, 2025]
