longchuathuongxot
Mt 12:01-8
nhanhau
thathu
tn15
Daily reflection _ I desire mercy always
"I DESIRE MERCY ALWAYS"
What is God like? Today's first reading shows us one aspect of God: His compassion and mercy.
The Jewish law regarding rest on the Sabbath was very strict. There were, of course, different interpretations. In the strict view of the Pharisees, the disciples, by pulling off the heads of grain to eat, were violating the law which forbade harvesting on the Sabbath. It was one of thirty-nine works which rabbis counted as a violation of the Sabbath rest.
Reflecting on these Scripture readings today, one may ask, "What does the commandment 'keep holy the Sabbath' require of us?" Or better yet, "What is the primary intention behind this command?" The religious leaders confronted Jesus on this issue. The "Sabbath rest" was meant to be a time to remember and celebrate God's goodness and the goodness of His work, both in creation and redemption. It was a day set apart for the praise of God, His work of creation, and His saving actions on our behalf. It was intended to bring everyday work to a halt and to provide needed rest and refreshment.
When the Pharisees objected to what the disciples were doing, Jesus came to their defense. He pointed out that when David was in danger of his life from King Saul, he begged food of the priest Ahimelech. The priest, having nothing else to offer them, gave them the showbread of the sanctuary which ordinarily was reserved for sacred purpose alone. The point Jesus was making was that in God's mind human needs take precedence over ritual law.
A careful examination reveals a still deeper point. When He reminds His hearers that God desires mercy and not sacrifice, Jesus is not condemning the act of ritual sacrifice. Rather, He wants them to understand that since the purpose of sacrifice is to bring us into closer union with God, worship should make us more like God.
What is God like? Today's first reading shows us one aspect of God: His compassion and mercy. King Hezekiah deserved to die because of his sins. God could have abided by strict justice, but in answer to the fervent prayer of the king, He relented and allowed him to live.
We hear on the news and read in the papers about children being kidnapped and killed. It causes a lot of anger inside of us. I sometimes find myself saying, "How can we have mercy, compassion, and even forgiveness for the people that hurt these kids?" The perpetrators may have had rough childhoods themselves, or they may have been on drugs and so on. Then I ask the question, and I am sure you as well have asked this same question, "Why? Why? Why would they want to do this harm to the little ones?" We may never come up with a suitable answer, but at least we can find some sort of settlement in God who truly does have the answers. We can turn to Him for peace, wisdom, and comfort. We can pray for the bad in our world and trust that God will pick up the pieces always, because He will! We need to remember what yesterday's readings were about and bring our burdens to Him. Jesus said, "Come to Me; I will refresh you. I am gentle and humble of heart. My yoke is easy and My burden light."
It is not Godlike to look with contempt upon people who are slaves of alcohol or narcotics. God wants us to be compassionate, understanding, and merciful as He is. Maybe this more virtuous outlook will help someone to find his way to God before he does base things to others. Being like God in this way should be the fruit of our worship.
Let us continue our faith journey together!