First Reading: Col 1:21-23
Brothers and sisters:
You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds;
God has now reconciled you
in the fleshly Body of Christ through his death,
to present you holy, without blemish,
and irreproachable before him,
provided that you persevere in the faith,
firmly grounded, stable,
and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard,
which has been preached to every creature under heaven,
of which I, Paul, am a minister.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 54:3-4, 6 and 8
R (6) God himself is my help.
O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
R God himself is my help.
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R God himself is my help.
Gospel Reading: Lk 6:1-5
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the corn fields and his disciples began to pick heads of grain crushing them in their hands for food. Some of the Pharisees asked them, "Why do you do what is forbidden on the Sabbath?" Then Jesus spoke, "Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry?" He entered the house of God, took and ate the bread of the offering and even gave some to his men, though only priests are allowed to eat that bread." And Jesus added, "The Son of Man is Lord and rules over the sabbath."
Many years ago, I read a phrase—if I remember correctly, it was written by a Russian mystic from the early 20th century. I don’t recall the exact words, but I do remember the meaning, which struck me as profoundly true. It went something like this: the material bread that my hungry brother needs is the most spiritual reality I can imagine. That phrase helps me explain and understand today’s Gospel.
The disciples are hungry. It is a very simple need, very material. But it is absolutely necessary for life. Without food, there is no life. As simple as that. Faced with such urgency, no rule can stand in the way.
But the Pharisees are on a different wavelength. To begin with, they probably were not hungry themselves. From that more comfortable position, unlike those who were hungry, they looked at the disciples and judged them for breaking the rules. Because on the Sabbath it was forbidden to work—and in their rigorous interpretations of the Law, rubbing heads of grain to remove the husk and eat the kernels was considered work. From there, it was only a step to condemning them for breaking the Law.
This happened in Jesus’ time, but let’s be realistic: not so long ago—one or two centuries—rural parish priests would go after and accuse farmers who worked in their fields on Sundays. It didn’t matter if the harvest was ruined or if hunger threatened the family. What mattered was fulfilling the law of “keeping holy the Sabbath.”
Thankfully, Jesus makes it clear that laws exist to serve people, not the other way around. Thankfully, Jesus knows that in the Kingdom, the most important, the most urgent, the most spiritual thing is to respond to the need of the brother who is hungry. To all those who take delight in retreating into mysticism, pure contemplation, or silent meditation, it is worth remembering: there is nothing more spiritual than the bread my brother needs to satisfy his hunger.
Fernando Torres, cmfSaturday, 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
The LAW has to SERVE PEOPLE
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
Jesus your Son came not to abolish the law
but to fill it with the dimensions of love.
Do not allow commandments and rules
to stand between you and us nor between people,
but let them lead us gently,
as good educators, to you and to our neighbor
and teach us to go beyond the law
in generosity and serving love.
Make us free with the freedom brought us
by your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
Paul reminds his Colossians that before their conversion they were estranged from God. Now that they have been reconciled with God and one another, they should remain steadfast in the faith that has made them holy.
Gospel Introduction
A frequent sign of their own insecurity is that people seek security in laws and traditions. The more they insist on these, the more they try to bend people to these, the greater their insecurity. Laws are supposed to be in the service of the community, not vice versa. They may never become a block or a screen between people. They are not absolutes but servants of people.
General Intercessions
- That Christians may regard the commandments as doors to freedom from sin and evil and ways to serve God and people, we pray:
- That lawmakers everywhere make laws that are humane and serve the good of all in the community, we pray:
- That we may seek security in love of God and the service of people, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
in these signs, your gifts to us
and the fruit of our work,
we make ourselves available to you.
Do not allow us to seek false security
in observing the letter of the law
but help us to seek the insecurity and risk
of committing ourselves to you and people,
as Jesus did, your Son,
who lives with you and with us
now, and we hope and pray, for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
in this eucharist we have celebrated
the memorial of your Son's death and rising.
He followed the law of the heart
and made love the heart of all laws.
Let the bread of life of your Son
make our love inventive and creative
in the service of people
and help us to follow the directives
of our hearts and consciences,
in the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.
Blessing
Christ has made us free. Let us not give up that freedom by slavishly sticking to practices and traditions that do not reflect the gospel. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
