Reflection on the Gospel of the day: January 19, 2021

As Jesus was walking through a wheat field on the Sabbath, his disciples began making a path as they gathered the ears. At this the Pharisees said to him: "Look, why are they doing what is illegal on the Sabbath?" Mark 2: 23–24

The Pharisees were very concerned about many things that were distortions of the law of God. The third commandment calls us to "Sanctify the Sabbath day". Also, we read in Exodus 20: 8–10 that we are not to do any work on the Sabbath, but we are to use that day to rest. From this commandment, the Pharisees developed extensive comments on what was allowed and what was forbidden to do on the Sabbath. They determined that harvesting the ears of corn was one of the prohibited actions.

In many countries today, sabbatical rest has almost disappeared. Unfortunately, Sunday is rarely more reserved for a day of worship and rest with family and friends. For this reason, it is difficult to connect with this hypercritical condemnation of the disciples by the Pharisees. The deeper spiritual question seems to be the hyper "fussy" approach adopted by the Pharisees. They weren't so concerned with honoring God on the Sabbath as they were concerned with judging and condemning. And while it may be rare today to find people who are overly scrupulous and fussy about sabbatical, it is often easy to find ourselves getting fussy about many other things in life.

Consider your family and those closest to you. Are there things they do and habits they have formed that leave you constantly criticized? Sometimes we criticize others for actions that are clearly contrary to God's laws. At different times, we criticize others for some factual exaggeration on our part. While it is important to speak out charitably against violations of God's external law, we must be very careful not to set ourselves up as the judge and jury of others, especially when our criticism is based on a distortion of the truth or an exaggeration of something minor. In other words, we must be careful not to get fussy ourselves.

Reflect today on any tendency you have in your relationships with the people closest to you to be excessive and distorted in your criticisms. Do you find yourself obsessed with others' apparent minor flaws on a regular basis? Try to step away from criticism today and renew your practice of mercy towards everyone instead. If you do, you may actually find that your judgments about others do not fully reflect the truth of God's law.

My merciful judge, give me a heart of compassion and mercy towards all. Remove all judgment and criticism from my heart. I leave all judgment to You, dear Lord, and I only try to be an instrument of Your love and Your mercy. Jesus I believe in you.