Lord of the Sabbath

At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath.’ He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests. Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But 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.’ He left that place and entered their synagogue; a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, ‘Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?’ so that they might accuse him. He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.’ Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Matthew 12:1-14

I have listened lately to pundits chastising one group or another after the war broke out in the Holy Lands. They condemn one group against the other, depending on their politics, and praise the other. They have no real, lived knowledge of the horrors all the people of the region face. The place where Jesus lived and died is torn asunder, aided by greed, power and misunderstanding. And yet Jesus whispers in response to us all, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." We too often rush to judge before we have asked ourselves if we are doing good and showing mercy. God's love never binds or divides us but knots us together as we serve one another and show mercy.

Gracious Creator, Lord of the Sabbath

everyday you shine you morning light

we count on the blessings of the season

and you are the source of all abundance.

We watch in horror as your children fight

we see innocents caught up in the war

we wonder where you are in all of the struggles

forgetting that you are with all human kind

Help us to be those who live to do good

help us be those who always show mercy

let you love so flow through us this day

that you face might shine upon all today. Amen.