1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath." 3He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless? 6I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath."
In this passage, Jesus places the law in context. He asserts that it is not to be valued more than love. If we act out of love for God or for others, then we are not breaking God’s law. Jesus reminds the questioners that he seeks mercy not sacrifice. He wants us to see love in all its permutations and support it, elevate it and encourage it. If the law gets in the way, then it is the law that needs to concede. My prayer: Loving father, forgive the times I allow the rules I have in my heart to get in the way of loving you or loving my neighbour. Help me to elevate to the highest value the love of you and the love of my neighbour.
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