Readings: Exodus 11:10-12:14, Ps. 116:12-13,15-18, Matthew 12:1-8
“If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:7-8)
In our first reading, God establishes the Feast of Passover for the people of Israel, and we are presented with the rules associated with this feast. There is an exact day to pick up the lamb, there is an exact day to slaughter the lamb, there is a precise way to prepare it (not to be boiled or fried but roasted), there is an accurate way to eat it, there is even a way to dress to eat it, and there is a time frame within which it must be consumed. And not just that, a memorial must be celebrated every year.
Similarly, we know that there are specific ways to make the sign of the cross, recite the rosary, genuflect in church, and behave before the Blessed Sacrament. Etc. All these are rituals that help us connect with God!
However, as we see in our Gospel passage, there is an extent to which our worship of God becomes reduced to the mere observation of rules. This occurs when we adhere to regulations to the detriment of our connection with God. This is what happens when religious rules become nothing more than an avenue to oppress the poor and weak in society. This was the problem of the Pharisees.
There is a story of a boy who was almost stoned to death by a mob. They had pursued him for hours while throwing sticks at him, and people shouted: “Thief… Thief!” A woman felt pity for him and decided to intervene, so she silenced the crowd and asked the boy what he had stolen. The little boy burst into tears, unable to mumble any coherent statement. Then, a shop owner blurted out: “That boy stole bread from my shop.”
The boy’s mother, a frail old woman, approached the crowd and appealed to them, saying that her son had not eaten anything for almost a week now, and she was deeply sorry for what had happened. The crowd became so ashamed of themselves, and one after the other, they started donating money to the poor old woman and her son.
Jesus was accused of breaking the law by eating on a Sabbath day. His simple response was: “If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.”
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, may our worship of you be pure and sincere. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Friday of week 15 in Ordinary Time. Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: Exodus 11:10-12:14, Ps. 116:12-13,15-18, Matthew 12:1-8).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu