Gospel

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.”

Reflection

I don't know if there's anything that I would pray the church would listen so clearly to this image. Jesus saying that he is here to inaugurate a kingdom that is not focused on law, but on the needs of individuals. Mercy, compassion, understanding. Every institution is caught up, in a sense, the weakness of overlooking the individual and just demanding rigid following of rules.

Nothing is further from the truth when it comes to the work that God longs to do within us. It's personal. It's individual. It is honoring our unique situation. And blessed are those who find ministers in the church who do the same.

Closing Prayer

Father, so many are called to witness your presence. And when they do that, when they focus primarily on rules and regulations, they're robbing the individual of the experience of who God really is. Of course, laws and rules are necessary, but when it comes across that they're more important than the individual, then there is a vacuum of the very essence of God, the loving father, the caring friend, the person who is on our side. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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