Tuesday: 2^nd-Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading:

Cycle I- I Reading: Hebrews 6:10-20: In the hope that is held out to us we have an anchor for our soul, as sure as it is firm.

Cycle II- 1Samuel 16:1-13: Samuel anointed David where he stood with his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord seized on David.

Gospel: Mark 2:23-28: The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Jesus’ Impact upon Religionists: Understanding the Sabbath (Sunday)

The Sabbath or Sunday is often abused. A person can abuse the Sabbath or Sunday by being either too strict or too loose in observing the day. In the present generation, however, the problem is not in being too strict but in being too loose. Few ever give any thought to God’s command to keep the Sabbath holy.

In this passage Jesus deals with the true meaning of the Sabbath or Sunday: a critical issue for every generation (Mt 12:1-8 for more discussion).

1.     The Sabbath is not rules and regulations (v.23-24)

a.     Jesus passed through the grain fields

b.    The disciples plucked and ate some grain

c.      The religionists questioned the picking of the grain on the Sabbath

2.     The Sabbath was given to help man/people (v.25-27)

The illustration: David

The point: The Sabbath was given to serve, not master man/woman

3.     The Sabbath is to be governed by the Son of Man (v.28)

Thought: Man/woman is far more important than rules and regulations, ceremony, ritual and religion. The first duty of man/woman is to worship God and to meet the need of his/her fellow man/woman. Nothing should over take precedence over this first duty.

 Rules and regulations, laws and commandments are made to help people, to govern his/her behaviour and to show him/her the best way to live. Therefore, rules which guide people to rest and worship on the Sabbath or Sunday are good and beneficial.

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