The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 12:1-8
Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Encountering Christ
Each time I read about Jesus and his disciples walking through those grain fields, I can’t help but picture myself there. I imagine the rustling of the wheat, the warm sun, and the gnawing hunger that led the disciples to pluck those heads of grain. And then, of course, the Pharisees show up with their criticism.
What really strikes me is Jesus’ response. He doesn’t get defensive or angry. Instead, He patiently explains, using examples from Scripture of David and his companions, in particular, why His disciples’ actions aren’t wrong. It’s a powerful reminder that God’s law is meant to bring life, not restrict it.
There have been times in my life when I’ve been more like those Pharisees than I’d care to admit. I’ve caught myself getting caught up in the rules and forgetting the heart behind them. This passage always brings me back to the center, reminding me that God desires mercy above all else.
In my role as a deacon, I often encounter people struggling with rigid interpretations of faith. This Gospel gives me the courage to guide them towards a more compassionate understanding of God’s love. It’s changed how I approach my ministry, always trying to err on the side of mercy and understanding.
Personally, this passage has deepened my relationship with Christ. It’s a constant reminder that He is the “Lord of the Sabbath” – not just of rules, but of rest, renewal, and relationship.
When I feel overwhelmed by responsibilities or caught up in the “shoulds” of faith, I return to these verses. They help me refocus on what truly matters: loving God and loving others. “Crux Probat Omnia” is a Latin phrase that guides my diaconal ministry – it means, The Cross Proves Everything. Fr. Greg Adolf, one of our Retreat Masters, speaks of the Cross so often – the relationship of the “vertical” to the “horizontal” – the vertical beam represents eternity, that is our relationship with the Most Holy Trinity and the horizontal beam represents time and place – that which can be measured, that is our relationship with others. The horizontal is dependent on the vertical, if the horizontal is separated from the vertical there is chaos and brokenness.
This Gospel challenges me to live my faith with more heart and less legalism. It’s not always easy, but it’s a journey that continually brings me closer to the true spirit of Christ’s teachings. And for that, I’m profoundly grateful.
Action of the Day
Use the gift of discernment. Discernment enables us to assess situations, pay attention to various clues, approach our decision making prayerfully, and ultimately choose well according to our faith and our life situation.
But discernment is not the same at every stage of life. Each season presents unique challenges that require us to develop the gift of discernment.
When we’re young—in late childhood and the teen years—much discernment has to do with recognizing right from wrong. We discern what it means to be honest, to treat others fairly, to admit when we’re wrong, and to calculate the outcome of potential actions.
In the years of young adulthood, we face major decisions that can have a great impact on the rest of life. Our discernment at this time has much to do with self-understanding. Am I a good fit to be in a relationship with this person, or that one? Am I suited well to this kind of work/career or to something else? By this time, we should have right and wrong figured out for the most part. But what about our priorities? Do our daily choices and actions move us toward what we see as a life purpose?
Into middle adulthood—late 30s into the 50s—the discernment gets even trickier because by now we likely have multiple and appropriate attachments. Many of us are in serious relationships, are parents, have begun careers or at least have established a steady working life. Much of our discernment involves figuring out how all these aspects of life are interacting and where corrections need to be made. We are discerning how to discipline and guide our children and how to work through marital difficulties; at the same time, we are moving outward, trying to help others, to be people for others. We probably were helping others years ago, but it’s more complicated now that we have multiple obligations.
And in our later years, we must discern how best to use the energies and resources we have. We are likely diminished in some respects—health and income—but may have become freer from unhealthy attachments thanks to a lifetime of learning and discerning. We must discern how involved to become in the problems and pressures of people in our families and our communities. We must discern how we will face our physical/mental decline and also our death.
At each stage of life, discernment may include:
- Identifying patterns of thought or behavior that we need to face and change.
- Identifying deep and lasting wounds and learning how to seek healing and restoration.
- Choosing the best out of multiple good options.
- Dealing with unhealthy attachments; praying and working toward spiritual freedom.
- Discovering the best way to use our resources—gifts, money, time, and energy—to help the world.
