REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD – 01/18/22 (Tuesday)

Mark 2:23-24, 27

25 And He said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, when Abi'athar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" 27 And He said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath;

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Blessed Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time! We may judge based on the exterior appearance, but God judges based on the interior devotion. This difference of judgment can be seen in the conversation between the Pharisees and Jesus about the Sabbath. When His disciples were plucking the heads of grain, they were criticized by the Pharisees. It's because they rigidly interpreted the Sabbath as a day where no work could be done, even if it was necessary for the disciples to eat that time. However, Jesus explained by citing the exemption from the time of David who ate, even if it was forbidden by the law, the bread of offering. The reason why the sabbath is made for man is because it's the day where we can rest in the Presence of God who satisfies our deepest thirsts and desires. 

We celebrate the Sabbath today on Sunday because it's the day when we commemorate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The event of David foreshadows a greater event where we can partake of Jesus, the Bread of Life, in the communion where His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity is really and truly present. We may not have the same rigidity like the Pharisees, but we can still fall to the same mistake of focusing on the exterior when participating in the Mass. Some people may think that what's only important is attending the Mass as if it's just a Sunday routine. Although participation is important, God looks inside our hearts whether we have the desire to serve Him. He knows whether we want to listen to His voice through the readings and the homily. In the Mass, He invites us to prepare ourselves in receiving Jesus, the King and the Bread of Life, in the Sacred Communion. He wants us to share His overflowing love within us to our neighbors, just as how David gave the bread to people with him, through our acts of mercy. 

May we rest in the presence of Christ at every moment of our lives, especially on Sundays and holy days of obligation. When we honor, serve and praise Him, He will give us the hope of being glorified with Him. When we come to the Bread of Life with humility, He will grant us the grace to have progress in our interior devotion and love for Him. As we unite ourselves to His sacrifice, we will become instruments of His Divine Love for our neighbors through our works of mercy. 

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic