20 January • Are You Just Following Rules? | The Trap of Legalism in Faith
Is your faith about checking boxes or understanding God's heart? In this episode of A Word of Hope, Brother Edward warns us about the spiritual trap of "legalism"—following religious rules without understanding their true intent.
Broadcasting from St. Vincent Ferrer Priory in River Forest, IL, Brother Edward reflects on the Gospel encounter where the Pharisees criticize Jesus' disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. While the Pharisees saw a broken rule, Jesus saw human need and the true purpose of the Law.
Brother Edward uses a common modern example—asking if a Saturday wedding "counts" for Sunday Mass—to illustrate how we often treat our faith like punching a timecard rather than a relationship with the Divine.
In this video, you will learn:
Why the Pharisees were wrong about the Sabbath law.
The difference between observing a rule and understanding its intent.
How to avoid becoming a "legalistic" Christian in your daily life.
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🙏 Timeline:
0:00 - Introduction from Brother Edward (River Forest, IL)
0:20 - The Gospel: Disciples picking grain on the Sabbath
0:35 - What the Book of Deuteronomy actually says
0:50 - The Pharisees' trap of strict legalism
1:05 - Jesus responds using the example of King David
1:25 - The definition of Legalism in Christianity
1:40 - A modern example: Does a wedding count for Sunday Mass?
2:05 - How to avoid the trap of "punching a card" in your faith
Hashtags:
#Catholic #WordOfHope #Legalism #Pharisees #Sabbath #GospelReflection #ChristianLiving #FaithOverRules #DominicanFriars #BrotherEdward #DailyDevotional
