Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbott | 17 January , 2023 | Tuesday

 Gospel: Mk 2: 23-28

As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,

his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.

At this the Pharisees said to him,

"Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?"

He said to them,

"Have you never read what David did

when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?

How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest

and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,

and shared it with his companions?"

Then he said to them,

"The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.

That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath."

Reflection:

 Being a good Jew, Jesus certainly honoured and fulfilled the Sabbath law and all religious laws concerning God and His people but often not in scrupulous external practices. Today’s episode was one of the clear examples of how Jesus uses laws to liberate and not to enslave or burden someone. Sunday is the Christian sabbath, when we commemorate and relive Christ’s resurrection. How best can we honour it and make it truly a time when we are at home with our God, body and spirit? Let us also examine the standard we set for ourselves and others in exercising rules and regulations.  Are we quick and skilful in pointing out the short comings of others while ignoring our own?

Action Plan: 

 Reflect and see what you normally do when certain rules and regulations obstruct you from responding to the genuine needs of someone at the cost of being misunderstood or misinterpreted? Life brings many of such situations!

Read and Reflect