Doing the Right Thing in the Right Way    It is important to do the right thing in the right way—to offer assistance when requested; give sound advice when requested; be truthful constructively; uphold justice in a way that creates good; give out of love; or discipline out of love.
   In St. Mark’s account of Jesus teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath, he wrote that Jesus and the disciples went to Simon’s house, where Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and then they likely ate the Sabbath meal. “But when evening came, when the sun had set, they brought to him all those who were ill and those possessed by demons.” (1:32) It was a good thing to bring those needing help to Jesus; however, Mark states that this was done correctly: “when evening came, when the sun had set.” For the people in Mark’s account, it was forbidden to carry any burden through the town on the Sabbath day. (cf. Jeremiah 17:24) The Sabbath ran from 6 p.m. to 6 p.m. Without clocks or watches, the Sabbath ended when the sun set or, by custom, when three stars appeared in the sky.
   Earlier, Mark said that the account of Jesus healing the man in the synagogue spread throughout the region. (1:28) Apparently, this report spread rapidly, for by evening, respecting the Sabbath law, people brought—Mark’s word was “carried”—their ill family and friends to him. They did the right thing in the right way, which is always important. Directory