The term "common sense" may look like self-explanatory and it is the basis of all thinking and reasoning.
But when things get too muddled up and the thinking and reasoning becomes unclear, then we use another principle and that is "go back to basics"
In the gospel, the scribes and Pharisees have devised a set of rules and regulations about the Sabbath and the Law, that it had become so complex and confusing.
And they were watching Jesus to see where He would step out of line.
Yet, Jesus took the situation and appealed to common sense by going back to basics.
So He asked the question: is it against the Law on the Sabbath to go good, or to do evil; to save life or to destroy it?
If the gospel passage showed how people can lose their common sense, then what St. Paul said in the 1st reading does not make much sense in the ordinary sense of the word.
He told the Colossians that it makes him happy to suffer for them, as he is suffering now. What does not make sense is that how can we be happy to suffer?
But what he said after may make us start thinking - "in my own body to do what I can to make up all that is still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of His body, the Church."
When we have thought and reflected deep enough, then we will come to the realization that by accepting suffering for the sake for Christ, then we will be able to make sense of our life on earth.
May our suffering for Christ help others to come to their senses and to come to see that God's way is truly the most sensible way.
But when things get too muddled up and the thinking and reasoning becomes unclear, then we use another principle and that is "go back to basics"
In the gospel, the scribes and Pharisees have devised a set of rules and regulations about the Sabbath and the Law, that it had become so complex and confusing.
And they were watching Jesus to see where He would step out of line.
Yet, Jesus took the situation and appealed to common sense by going back to basics.
So He asked the question: is it against the Law on the Sabbath to go good, or to do evil; to save life or to destroy it?
If the gospel passage showed how people can lose their common sense, then what St. Paul said in the 1st reading does not make much sense in the ordinary sense of the word.
He told the Colossians that it makes him happy to suffer for them, as he is suffering now. What does not make sense is that how can we be happy to suffer?
But what he said after may make us start thinking - "in my own body to do what I can to make up all that is still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of His body, the Church."
When we have thought and reflected deep enough, then we will come to the realization that by accepting suffering for the sake for Christ, then we will be able to make sense of our life on earth.
May our suffering for Christ help others to come to their senses and to come to see that God's way is truly the most sensible way.