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The lesson is, when needed, compassion and life-giving actions are more important than keeping the Law.
Luke 14:1-6
The scene of today’s gospel is a sabbath meal at the home of a leading Pharisee. St. Luke also said it happened that a man with dropsy was present and they watched Jesus to see if he would heal him. It seems as though the plot was carefully orchestrated to trap Jesus into breaking the Sabbath and thus find something with which to condemn him.
As he did on other occasions, Jesus avoided confrontations with the Pharisees. Instead he used the occasion to teach and to heal. Jesus used his table ministry often to teach and heal. Firstly, he dealt with the trap by asking if healing someone or rescuing a trapped animal, even on the Sabbath, was permissible. They did not answer because they knew it was. Then he proceeded to heal the man and sent him on his way.
The lesson is not that Jesus outwitted the Pharisees and their guests. The lesson is, when needed, compassion and life-giving actions are more important than keeping the Law.
