Mark 3: 1-6 tells us why the religious/political institution that ruled the Jewish people hated Jesus, and later, His Church. Today, Cain still hates Abel. Death hates life. Hate hates love. Lies hate truth. All the hate on earth is summed up in six words: Cain’s followers prefer death to life. In every age, Cain hates God, His Prophets, His Son, and His Church.
“Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”
What would they answer? God was asking a simple question to men who proclaimed themselves educated, certified, caring, intelligent, helpful, useful and good. “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”
It was a simple question. What would these “good and wise men” answer?
They did not say anything! Not a single one of them was wise or brave enough to speak one, simple sentence: “It is better to save life rather than destroy it.” They simply could not bring themselves to say “It is better to save life rather than destroy it.” Today, and in every age, similar people of position prefer to hurt, and even destroy, their neighbors with taxation, regulation, invasion, jail, and death. They are unable to say, in every age, “It is better to save life rather than destroy it.”
What did they do instead of giving the simple answer Jesus provided? “But they remained silent.” In the face of having a man spend his life crippled and unable to write, work, or have a better life, they remained silent. What was Jesus’ response?
“Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored.” How did the establishment rulers respond? Did they say “Wow! That’s impressive! We should ask Jesus to heal our own hearts and minds so that we may be encouraged to do good.”
No. Instead of recognizing a greater goodness than their own vanity, “The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against Him to put Him to death.” In every age, Protestants, like the Pharisees and Herodians, ignore the miracles of Jesus. How do we know that?
They refuse to obey “If you do not eat My Body and drink My Blood you do not have life in you.” Why do they ignore that? The vain would rather die than to leave the schisms invented by the descendants of the Pharisees and Herodians, do what is necessary to receive The Body and Blood of Jesus in Catholic Communion, and “have life in” them.
Cain’s followers prefer death to life.
