Wednesday of week 28 in Ordinary Time
Saint Callistus, Pope, Martyr
Gospel: Luke 11:42-46
In today’s Gospel, Jesus strongly challenges the Pharisees and the lawyers because they have lost sight of the essential purpose of religious observances and laws. They carefully fulfil even the smallest prescriptions, yet neglect “justice and the love of God.” Worse still, they impose heavy burdens on others without lifting a finger to help them. Jesus is not rejecting laws, discipline, or religious structures; He is reminding us of their true purpose: systems and laws exist to serve the human person and lead everyone closer to God. When rules become more important than people, when procedures overshadow compassion, or when institutions become more concerned with preserving themselves than fulfilling their mission, something essential has been lost. The message of Christ places the dignity of the human person at the centre, because every person is created in God’s image and is the object of His infinite love. This does not mean that love abolishes rules or that mercy disregards justice. Rather, justice and mercy give laws their deepest meaning, while love ensures that their application never forgets the person they are meant to serve. Saint Callistus, Pope and Martyr, is remembered particularly for his pastoral approach towards sinners seeking reconciliation with the Church. His example reminds us that ecclesiastical discipline must always remain connected to the healing and saving mission of Christ. In our families, communities, institutions, and responsibilities, we constantly face the temptation to defend a system while overlooking the person standing before us. Yet Jesus invites us to ask not only whether a rule has been respected, but whether God’s justice, mercy, and love have been made visible through it. The true greatness of any system is not measured merely by how efficiently it functions, but by how faithfully it serves the dignity, well-being, and salvation of the human person. Let’s reflect: In the way I exercise responsibility, apply rules, and make decisions, do I always keep the dignity and needs of the human person at the centre, allowing justice and the love of God to guide my actions?
Don Giorgio