hands. Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! They are doing what is forbidden on the
Sabbath!” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did in his time of need;
when he and his men were very hungry? He went into the House of God, when Abiathar
was High Priest, and ate; the bread of offering, which only the priests are allowed to eat,
and he also gave some to the men who were with him.” Then 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.”

Reflect

“Brave heart.” Taking up greater responsibilities requires a brave heart. It is one’s attitude
and not physical appearance that reveals a courageous heart. One may look physically
strong but may not be able to make a stand for the good of others. Fearful-hearted people
commonly resort to rules. In the first reading, David was chosen by the Lord not because
of his appearance but because of his brave heart. David would prefer the wellbeing of
people to following institutionalized set of rules. In the Gospel, the Pharisees were too
quick to point out that the disciples violated the Sabbath law. The Gospel asserts that
Jesus is the master of the Sabbath. With the bravest of hearts, Jesus always preferred
the welfare of people to a rigid and unreasonable following of laws. Jesus radically kept
the law by invoking the spirit behind the law and not by adhering strictly to the letters of
the law. Thus, what makes us truly courageous is our capacity to listen to the dictate of
our conscience in responding positively to the needs of others regardless of what the
letters of the law dictate.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2024