Tuesday of 2nd Week, uneven numbered year
“It happened that one Sabbath day he was taking a walk 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?”
Going through the harvests, the disciples make a way, pulling the corn ears of corn as they go to eat. This marvellous assurance comes from an extraordinary joy, a song of thanksgiving for Jesus who that sings God’s praises. The disciples manifest how all that is a gift from God. Jesus has us enter into the Infinite Joy of God for us. But today, like Yesterday, the Pharisees deformed the law of Moses by getting attached to details, forgetting the meaning of the spirit of the law. In fact they accuse the disciples and Jesus of violating the Sabbath day. According to their ideas, pulling off the corn-ears is the same as ’harvesting’ and shelling is the same as thrashing. These agricultural activities were banned on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees say to Jesus : ’Look! Why are your disciples doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath day? o Jesus quotes David who went into God’s dwelling place at the time of the high priest Abiathar and who ate the loaves of oblation that priests aren’t supposed to eat, and he gave some to his companions. We know that the loaves of the offering were twelve in number ; every week they were placed on the table of the sanctuary, in homage to the twelve tribes of Israel.“”Jesus said to the Pharisees ’Have yopu never read what David did in the 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 priests are allowed to eat,and how he also gave some to he men with him?"
Abiathar’s behaviour is conform to Jesus’ teachings : the legal precepts of the least importance have to yield their place to the greatest : the precept of the Sabbath rest is not superior to the elementary needs of subsistence. Being inspired by this passage of the Word, Jesus quotes the example of David who was King. He had received from God the powers of a king, he could in the time of Abiathar, eat the loaves of offering. He didn’t need to fear scandal foe he had the power from God. In his Infinite tenderness, Jesus takes away everything that
can separate us from God who is Love. He has us enter into a new Love that scandalises the Pharisees! It is not from now on just simply acts of piety that make us upright, but freedom in Him. We need to realise what the climate of Love around Jesus was like. The human person, created in the resemblance of God, by God, is above all else. The question of the order of things must be submitted to people’s well-being.
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath ; so the Son of man is master even of the Sabbath.”
Jesus who had withdrawn from the tumultuous town has the apostles enter into the secret of his heart. Jesus takes his disciples out of a world of ’vanities’ in order to manifest the treasures of love in the Heart of the Father. It is a hard ordeal for us for we always want to prove our love , and it is a trail for the one who seeks to love freely! The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. We are no longer slaves but we have become free people loving in the Infinite Love of God who sets us free. He wants to have us enter this love in a free manner. There is no longer anything that can torment joy, harmony and peace belonging to humanity in God. Saint Augustin said : ’Love and do as you please." He is saying in this that true love is to put in all we do : work, forgiveness, correction, going to mass, taking care of the sick, accomplishing the commandments, are all done out of the Infinite Love of God who loves us.