“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.”
In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus walking with His disciples through the grain fields on the sabbath. As the disciples pluck heads of grain to satisfy their hunger, the Pharisees immediately object. Their concern is not compassion, but compliance. They see the law, but they fail to see the human person standing before them.
Jesus responds by reminding them of Scripture, recalling how David, driven by hunger, ate the showbread that was ordinarily reserved for priests. In doing so, Jesus teaches a profound truth: God’s law is always ordered toward life, mercy, and love, never toward oppression or empty ritual. The sabbath, a sacred gift from God, exists to serve humanity by drawing us closer to Him, not to burden us or strip us of compassion.
This teaching echoes a truth revealed elsewhere in Scripture, particularly when God corrected the prophet Samuel. Samuel, like many of us, judged by outward appearances, but God reminded him: “Man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). God does not measure us by status, power, or external observance alone. He looks deeper, into our intentions, our love, and our faithfulness.
The Pharisees observed the law meticulously, yet their hearts were closed. Jesus, on the other hand, reveals that true holiness flows from a heart aligned with God’s mercy. This is why Jesus can say with authority, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath.” He is not abolishing the law; He is fulfilling it by restoring its true purpose.
In our own lives today, this Gospel challenges us to examine how we live our faith. Do we sometimes reduce Christianity to rules, obligations, and appearances? Do we judge others harshly because they do not practice their faith exactly as we expect? Like Samuel and the Pharisees, we can easily rely on the “human eye,” forgetting that God sees beyond what is visible.
God’s ways often surprise us. Some of the most spiritually fruitful people may not fit our expectations. Some who appear weak or insignificant in the eyes of the world may be rich in faith, humility, and love. God rewards not according to appearances, achievements, or social standing, but according to the heart and the love we show to one another.
This Gospel also speaks powerfully about rest and worship. The sabbath, fulfilled for Christians in the Lord’s Day, Sunday, is meant to restore us, renew our relationship with God, and strengthen our love for others. When our observance of faith leads us to greater charity, patience, and mercy, then we are truly honoring God.
As Catholics living in today’s fast-paced world, we are invited to embrace a faith that is both faithful and compassionate. Let us hold firmly to God’s commandments, but always with hearts shaped by mercy. Let us remember that love is the soul of the law, and that every rule, tradition, and practice finds its meaning in leading us closer to God and closer to one another.
May this Gospel help us to see as God sees, to love as Christ loves, and to live our faith not merely in form, but in truth.
Be Blessed †