January 16, 2018

Gospel: Mk 2:23-28
One Sabbath he was walking through grain fields. As his disciples walked along with him, they began to pick the heads of grain and crush them in their hands. Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! They are doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath!” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did in his time of need; when he and his men were very hungry? He went into the House of God, when Abiathar
was High Priest, and ate the bread of offering, which only the priests are allowed to eat, and he also gave some to the men who were with him.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is master even of the Sabbath.”

Reflections
THE SABBATH IS MADE FOR
PEOPLE AND NOT PEOPLE FOR
THE SABBATH
This saying of Jesus was in the context of his disciples doing something forbidden on the Sabbath. He gave other examples how rules are superseded by need. Laws and rules originally are there to facilitate life in a community. Observance of them normally prevents conflicts, misunderstandings and chaos. However, laws and rules have the tendency, as time goes, by to take on a life of their own and, after the situation in which they were made have changed, they continue to exist and become oppressive to people. One example is the Sunday Mass obligation. In the beginning, it was a joyful commemoration of the last supper. As time went on, the attendance at such reunion became obligatory. In fact, I remember in my childhood catechism lessons that missing Mass on Sunday through one’s fault is a mortal sin and would be punished (of course – since it is mortal) by hell. We of course today see how disproportionate the punishment is to the deed. We need rules, regulations, laws, etc, but their observance must take into consideration the context,the situation and the good of the person. I believe that in school one should not teach the children that being good means obeying rules. What is more important is to train the students in good, responsible decision-making. This formation of a good conscience is the key to living a good moral life.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018