Reflection

Gospel

As he 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 the 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 on the sabbath.”                                                                            Mark 2: 23-28

Reflection

In Genesis, God rested on the seventh day after working all week.  The priests of the early Jewish faith, made much of this day a day of religious observance so as to emphasise and retain their position as leaders of that day's observances. The sabbath then was very holy, because it was on that day the people of Israel were to recall the sacred work of God in their being created as God's people by being brought out of slavery in Egypt.

Jesus had done the worst thing by telling them that, "the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath." Then He compounded their anger by His saying, "that is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath."  For them, God was Lord and made the sabbath holy. Jesus has begun His tipping over the most sacred things of the Pharisees' traditions.

Our sabbath is Sunday and it, too, is for us meant to be a holy day of reflection. In modern society lately, there has been a subtle shift to exactly what do we hold as "holy."  On radio and tv, four little idles have crept into prominence. Programming has slowly moved from religious services to programs dealing with computer-technology, financial-investments, health-issues and sports. Communications, security and entertainment have become symbols of what makes life meaningful and sacred.

Jesus had the man with a withered hand stretch out that hand and the man saw in time a "home-run" a "slam dunk", a "hole-in-one." His own hand was healed, just in time.  Seeing the works of God rather than being preoccupied with doing our own works, takes "sabbath-time."  Being attentive to the sacredness of our whole life of time, takes time and silence.

The Pharisees were watching the holy moves of Jesus, but couldn't see what they were obliged to see according to their tradition. We are invited, not to rest only on the sabbath, but use time wisely in seeing the goodness of God within the goodness of our lives and families.

Julie Leonard Religious Education Leader/Wellbeing Leader