The Holy Gospel according to 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.
Reflection: In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus and his disciples are walking through a field of grain. The disciples are hungry and begin to pick and eat the heads of grain. The Pharisees who are strict observers of the Law, saw this, and immediately accuse the disciples of breaking the Sabbath law.
Jesus then responds with a powerful reminder: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Why was Jesus so hard on the Pharisees? He reminds them that David ate the bread of offering when he was in need and that the priests served in the temple out of necessity. All of this done on the Sabbath. We know that Jesus himself did many good works on the Sabbath by curing the sick and feeding the hungry.
What does this passage mean to us today? For us Catholic Christians, our “Sabbath” is Sunday. We should attend mass on Sunday. Then we live our lives, spending time with our families, cooking out meals, taking care of our children and other activities. Rules matter; they give us a framework in which to thrive. Jesus is telling us that the law exists for love. The Sabbath is meant to draw us closer to God, and not to be a burden. The Pharisees had lost sight of the heart of the law, compassion, mercy and human need.
This Gospel calls us to look at our own hearts. We need to ask ourselves if we sometimes cling too religious practices while forgetting the people we are meant to serve? Do we judge other for how they worship and live, instead of showing understanding and mercy? Jesus reminds us, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Jesus has the authority to teach us how to live the law, not just by rules, but by love. In every action, every decision, we should ask ourselves; Am I acting with mercy, compassion and the heart of Christ?
Action of the Day: Thank God for the gifts He had given us, the gift of faith, forgiveness, joy, and the grace to do His will. Pray for the ability to be merciful to others as God is merciful with us. Being a Catholic Christian is not found just in ritual and following the rules, but in loving God and serving other with love and mercy.
Audio Reflection:
