A man and a sheep

Jesus crossed the wheat fields with his disciples one day, when Pharisees accused him of violating the Sabbath. In fact, the disciples, being hungry, began to tear up ears and eat them. Jesus taught them about the difference between sacrifice and mercy, and declared his disciples innocent. It was a true heresy for the Pharisees. The Pharisees had no regard for the individual. They despised him. They took the people for a gang of curses (John 7:49). They hastened to stone the adulterous woman, as adulterous as they were themselves. The life of man was not of great value to them, which is why it was so easy for them to ask for the death of Jesus. These Pharisees were killers. Jesus told them that they were murderers, as well as their fathers (including satan) who had also killed the prophets.

Jesus went to their synagogue and found a man with a dry hand. The Pharisees had no interest in this man, and mentioned it only to be able to accuse Jesus. They most certainly never asked God to manifest his power to heal him. The glory of God and the good of men did not interest them. They were interested only in sacrifices and religion. They preached a religion of merit and hierarchy. We had to deserve healing and we had to earn a place in their religion. Jesus showed them their religious hypocrisy by taking the example of a sheep that they themselves would deliver if they found it in a pit on the Sabbath. At least, if that sheep belonged to them. "How much is a man worth more than a sheep !" (Matthew 12:12), Jesus answered their trap.

By being surrounded by crowds, we forget the value of the man. We take time to take care of our property and our homes, and we say we do not have time for people. We do not pray for the dry-handed man at our side, and we use the man in a bad way. We must choose which side we will be : will we be on the side of the Pharisees who sacrifice, or on the side of Jesus who shows mercy ?

Jeremy Sourdril