Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Lk 6:1-5
September 3, 2022 | Saturday

Today’s Gospel

One Sabbath Jesus was going through a field of grain, and his disciples began to pick heads of grain, crushing them in their hands for food. Some of the Pharisees asked them, “Why do you do what is forbidden on the Sabbath?” Then Jesus spoke up and asked them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry? He entered the house of God, took and ate the bread of the offering, and even gave some to his men, though only priests are allowed to eat that bread.” And Jesus added, “The Son of Man is Lord and rules over the Sabbath.”

Today’s Reflection:

The disciples of Jesus were hungry and while going through the field, they picked the heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. Caught by the Pharisees they were accused of violating the rule of the Sabbath rest. The Pharisees expected Jesus and his disciples to strictly observe the Jewish pious practices.

The Sabbath was the lynchpin of the life of the Jewish society and numerous regulations had developed to protect the observance of Sabbath rest. Jesus however points out that in the rigor and excessive legalistic practices, the Pharisees forget the values of love and mercy God had shown to his people who were freed from the slavery of the Egyptians. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath (cf. Mk 2:27).

Jesus responded that just as David and his disciples needed food (cf.1 Sam 21:1-9), so too his disciples were hungry. In both instances, human need took precedence over the rigid cultic interpretation of rules. In the Gospel, Jesus felt compassion particularly for his people; are we moved in the same way by the misery and distress that prevail in our society today? Reflect. /Vulnerasti, 2022