A homily on Luke 14: 1-6″When Love Leads, Law Fulfills Its Purpose”(31-10-25)

A beautiful homily on Luke 14 1 6 that reminds “When Love Leads, Law Fulfils Its Purpose”

A young novice at a convent once observed an elderly sister who had arthritis and was struggling to walk to the chapel. Speaking or moving about was prohibited during this time of enforced quiet. Nevertheless, the novice discreetly disobeyed the norm, assisted the sister, and led her to the chapel out of compassion. She then admitted to the Mother Superior that she had broken the quiet out of guilt. “My dear, you obeyed the higher law – the law of love,” the Mother stated with a gentle grin.

The core of today’s gospel, found in Luke 14:1–6, is captured in this simple incident. Jesus received an invitation to eat on the Sabbath at the home of a prominent Pharisee. Through this moment, Jesus revealed a profound truth: the ultimate purpose of God’s law is love and mercy. The Pharisees were bound by legal observance, missing the very heart of the law they claimed to protect. Their silence reflected a rigid heart, unwilling to see that compassion itself is the most valid form of obedience. Jesus shows us that it is always lawful to do good, that mercy never violates God’s will, and that love is the highest fulfilment of every commandment.

So often, like the Pharisees, we too become entangled in external rules, customs, or our sense of “rightness,” forgetting that every law of God is meant to serve human dignity and relationship. Jesus reminds us, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). His words free us from a cold religiosity and invite us into a living relationship guided by the law of love. As St. Paul wrote, “Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilment of the law” (Romans 13:10).

For consecrated persons, this Gospel carries a deep invitation to examine the spirit of our obedience. The rules of community life, our vows, and our daily schedules are sacred — but they are holy because they point to love. When our obedience becomes motivated by fear rather than love, it loses its life-giving meaning. Valid consecration is not about flawless conformity but about love expressed through fidelity. St. Teresa of Ávila reminds us, “The Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our works as at the love with which they are done.”

In the community, we sometimes face moments where the choice between following a rule and showing mercy becomes a difficult one. It is here that Christ invites us to discern not only what is lawful, but what is loving. St. John Paul II beautifully said, “The law of love is not an alternative to the law of God; it is its fulfilment.” When we love purely, our obedience becomes radiant and our sacrifices fruitful. An din families sometimes blind observance become an issue of blaming each other.

As St. Augustine said, “Love, and do what you will.” For when love is our motive, our choices naturally align with God’s will. St. Francis de Sales echoed this truth: “The measure of love is to love without measure.”

Today’s Gospel thus calls us to live by the divine rhythm where law and love meet in harmony. Jesus does not abolish the law; He transforms it through compassion and mercy. In every act of kindness, in every moment of mercy, and in every silent gesture of care, we participate in that sacred transformation.

Prayer: Oh Lord, let me discern and observe law with love 

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