Coffee With God

Reflection: Mark 2:23-28

Starting today till 25 of this month, all the Christian denominations around the world observe the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Let us join the universal Church that we may grow in to one family of God, sharing our faith in the One Lord Jesus. Sibling rivalry happens all the time in our homes. The Pharisees in today’s Gospel, confront Jesus, because their fellow-Jews, but disciples of Jesus, have plucked some grain of wheat to eat on the Sabbath. They hold the master accountable for the wrongs of the disciples! “Your disciples broke the rules! Why?! You’re in BIG trouble.” How often do we hear arguments in our church communities regarding the use of Church premises or properties, and often the majority group believe that they should stop others from using it! It is not because they have any special advantage by preventing someone from using the Church space, that they object it or complain about it. I suspect, this is because some people derive happiness in getting others into trouble and therefore, they complain. Somehow, I can’t point my fingers at the Pharisees of today’s Gospel. Their behaviour reminds me of the part of my wrong self — the part of me that tries to accuse others doing something wrong… the part of me that plays “got you” kind of attitudes… the part of me that would consider myself better than the rest. It’s that part of me that makes a big noise over some guys plucking and chewing grain as they pass through the field on the Sabbath. But Jesus uses the criticism by the Pharisees as an opportunity to talk about God’s love for us. The Sabbath is a gift of God and not a burden imposed upon us. When it comes to things that affect human dignity and survival, the person is more important than the norm. It is up to us to carry it out, in our daily life. Be like Jesus, attentive to needs of our neighbours. By the way, before being “paparazzi” of our brothers, let us remember the words of Saint Francis de Sales: “Before judging our neighbour, let us put him in our place and ourselves in his, and surely our judgment will then be right and charitable.” The issue was not the plucking of grain on the Sabbath, but Jesus, the “son of man,” as Lord of the Sabbath. Narrating the story of this dispute between Pharisees and Jesus, Mark aims to teach his listeners the true identity of Jesus. Jesus is the Lord who brings us clarity of vision so that we could see with the heart and see beyond the prescriptions of the Law.