KEEPING THE SABBATH DAY HOLY! ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Daily Reflections

Friday, 21^st July 2017,

Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Ex 11:10 – 12:14;

Ps 116:12-13, 15-18;

Mt 12:1-8

KEEPING THE SABBATH DAY HOLY!

The Apostles of Jesus were hungry and they picked heads of grain as they walked along to satisfy their hunger. The Pharisees condemned the Apostles for doing what they claimed was “unlawful” on the Sabbath. They claimed that picking heads of grain as they walked along was considered “work” and, thus, they violated the law requiring rest on the Sabbath. The Apostles did nothing wrong but were condemned nonetheless. They were “innocent men” as Jesus points out. Jesus responds to the irrationality of the Pharisees by reminding them of the Scripture, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” And He points out that the Apostles were wrongly condemned because the Pharisees do not understand this passage and this command from God for mercy.

The Sabbath commandment to rest was from God. But the commandment to rest was not a requirement for its own sake. The Sabbath rest was primarily a gift from God to humanity in that God knew we needed rest and rejuvenation. He knew we needed time each week to slow down, offer special worship to God and enjoy the company of others. But the Pharisees turned the Sabbath rest into a burden. They made it out to be a strict legalistic observance that did nothing to glorify God or refresh the human spirit.

The tendency of much of our civilization is to make people think that work or business is the whole of life. Such a tendency is checked and rebuked by the Sabbath. Every seventh day says to us: you are not merely a merchant; you are a person. You are not in this world to manufacture material articles and accumulate money; you are here to cultivate friendships, to educate yourself in all that is good, to know God. The Sabbath reminds us that we are not machines, that we are unique and creative beings. We are not selfish, but loving and selfless beings. Thus let us remember our Creator and All Beings this day. Let us join with the whole of creation in singing praise to God, thus making it HOLY!

Prayer: Lord, help me to love Your law. Help me to truly see it in the light of Your mercy and grace. May I be refreshed by all You command and be lifted up by Your will. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.