Tuesday of 2nd Week, even numbered year
“It happened that one Sabbath day, Jesus was walking through the cornfields, and his disciples began to make a path by plucking ears of corn. And the Pharisees said to him,’ Look, why are they doing something on the Sabbath day that is forbidden?’”
We join Jesus walking through fields with his disciples. Jesus is ’tireless’, he pursues his path accompanied by his disciples who are hungry! There is a climate of joy as they announce God’s Kingdom. They take some ears of corn crumpling them in their hands to eat some. This scandalises the Pharisees who say to Jesus ’Why are doing what isn’t permitted on the Sabbath day?’
But the apostles are going through the fields with the Bread of Life come down from Heaven.
Jesus refers to the loaves of offering in an attempt to prepare their hearts for this great mystery of the Eucharist.We know that divine charity is at the heart of the Eucharist : God’s Love is so great that he desires to nourish us with his own flesh and blood. Christ nourishes us spiritually with his true Body, Blood and Soul and Divinity at each Eucharistic celebration when we receive Holy Communion.
“Jesus replied ’Have you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry-how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of the offering which only the priest are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?’”
Too often do we judge according to human criteria and not according to divine criteria. Man judges by appearances but the Lord examines the heart. Jesus sees in the hearts of the Pharisees, just as he examines our own hearts to find charity, compassion and a real ardour for his mission in them. Jesus quotes this passage from Scripture in which God judged with compassion and goodness David. Didn’t you ever read what David did? David is the king so has prerogatives. The king could take great liberties that no one would contest. How could he have gone into God’s house, eat the loaves offering, even giving some to those with him? And so Jesus takes away the veil of his identity, he is greater than David! Thus Jesu takes away the veil of his identity, he is greater
than David! Jesus is greater than David who had prerogatives of a king for himself and his companions. Thus, Jesus shows his authority to the Pharisees. We want to show compassion and a real concern for those whom God has commended to us. This is seen through our gestures and in our words. God looks at things according to his loving design and He is in the unseen.He sees what is invisible, whereas we see things only from the outside.
“And 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.’”
Whilst Jesus’ disciples gather up corn, the Pharisees are looking for a quarrel, they don’t have love in their hearts. We too complain about other peoples’ faults, yet we are blind to our own faults and weaknesses, like ’the little Pharisee’ dwelling within us. Jesus speaks to our heart, having us discover the greatness of his Love. He opens up our ears so we listen to the Word of God. More often than not for us, the exterior aspects of the law pass come before the inner attitude of our hearts.Now, we need to eliminate what reduces our life as a child of God, everything that are ’exterior things’, reducing the way we act for God and for others, to the extent of imprisoning us. It is the choice of God that matters. He sees the heart. ’The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath! The Son of man is master of the Sabbath.’ Our persons, our families, our communities are in God’s Love and must constantly remain there. This implies a life of Adoration so that God’s work can come about, in the docility of God’s Spirit.