The sabbath was made for humankind

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Inhliziyo Zethu

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Today is Tuesday the 20th of January, in the 2nd week of Ordinary Time.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo sing: ‘You will make my heart pure’. A pure heart is a heart that is open to God, that doesn’t seek its own advantage, but wants whatever God wants. As I enter into prayer today, I ask for that openness of heart. I ask the Lord to lead my heart to him, to guide me in the way he wants me to go

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3:20

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 2:23-28

One sabbath [Jesus] was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’

4:54

Winter Song

Cheryl Ann Fulton

For the second day running, Jesus is under attack. Yesterday, his disciples upset the Pharisees by not fasting. Today they are neglecting time-honoured Sabbath observances. What is it in particular about him, do you consider, that is annoying Jesus’s opponents?

And what do you make of the way that Jesus appeals here to the example of King David and his followers?

This account builds to a climax with the declaration “The sabbath was made for humankind”. When and how do you find this Sabbath rest in your own life?

As the passage is read again, try to get a deeper sense of how Jesus regards the Pharisees in readings like this.

8:06

Mark 2:23-28

One sabbath [Jesus] was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’

9:27

Speak, finally, to the “Lord of the Sabbath” about whatever has most struck you here – the condemning Pharisees, the hungry disciples, the self-assured Jesus, or your own place in this debate.

11:43

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen