Meditation Minnute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

 

Gospel Reading: Mark 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.”

 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is questioned about the Sabbath. God gave Moses the commandment to keep holy the Sabbath so why does Jesus let his disciples violate this rule? This day was set aside for remembrance of our Lord. According to the Mosaic Law, this was supposed to be a day for us to celebrate God’s gifts and graces he gave us. It is a day where we should praise God for all he has done for us. On this particular Sabbath, Jesus’ disciples, hungry and starving, were picking grain to eat and were challenged by the Pharisees. They said to Jesus, “Why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” Jesus uses the scriptures from the Old Testament to justify their actions. Jesus tells us it is more important for us to take care of our basic and fundamental human needs then to practice ritual customs. Feeding the hungry is more important than fasting on the Sabbath.  The Sabbath was designed to renew us and refresh us, not punish us.  If we work seven days a week, when will we take time to reflect on the gifts God has given us.  When will we take time to thank Him for all He has given us?  Withholding our basic humanly needs was not the purpose of the Sabbath. As Jesus told the Pharisees, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

 

During Sabbath, we are called to fast and to pray in remembrance of what God created for us. On the seventh day God rested and admired all he had created. We too are called to reflect and give praise to all that God created. We are called to feast on the bread of life which God has given us. We are called to a time of fasting not of our basic human needs, but of the things that keep us from joining Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. We are called to reflect in prayer on what God has created and the goodness of His creation. It is a time for us to fast from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives so we can reflect on God and not on us. We are called to refrain from the worldly treasures so we can acknowledge the spiritual treasures. It is not a time to deny ourselves of our basic human needs, but to overwhelm ourselves with the love that God has poured out for us.  We should feast in the glory of God.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, may I keep holy your day.

May I give the mercy and grace which you unconditionally give to me.

May I nourish my spiritual needs so I may grow in you.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon