The essence of faith is not blind adherence to rules or traditions but a living relationship with God and a desire to good. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.
Readings for Friday of week 15 of ordinary time can be found here.
Have you ever heard stories of people religiously following the directions of their car or lorry satnav, only for the journey to end in disaster? Sometimes people have followed the satnav down a road, past a “road closed” sign, and ended up in a ditch. Or lorry drivers have robotically followed the given route into the narrow streets of a town centre and got completely stuck. It’s a case of following instructions come what may and not allowing natural reason to play a part.
It’s this attitude from the Pharisees that Jesus is criticising in today’s Gospel. They are keen to enforce the rule about not working on the Sabbath, but as Jesus points out they have ignored three crucial things staring them in the face. First, that the disciples’ need for food can outweigh the rule about the Sabbath – and Jesus quotes the example of David to back this up. Second, that priests in the Temple are allowed to work on the Sabbath so the rule is not absolute. Third, and most important, Jesus’ as God’s Son is Lord of the Sabbath, greater even than the Temple.
When King Hezekiah of Judah prays to God for healing, he does not cite his observance of rules, regulations and the law. Instead he says, “I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” Hezekiah has understood the meaning of the Old Testament saying quoted by Jesus, that mercy is more important than rituals. In the church and the life of faith, rules traditions and customs have their place. But may they never get in the way of doing what is right or responding in to God at work in our midst.
Mass today is in St Saviour’s at 10am.
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