“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” – Mark 2:24

         On October 13, 1972, an Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed in the snow-covered Andes Mountains. It had 45 passengers, including members of the rugby union team and their families and friends. A quarter of the passengers died instantly while others died from the cold and injuries. The survivors agreed to ration whatever food and water they found on the plane to last them until they were rescued, which would hopefully be soon.

      But days turned into months without rescue. Their meager food supply was consumed. They were in a quandary. The only available food in sight were the carcasses of their fellow passengers. It seemed unthinkable, but that was the only thing they could eat to survive. After much deliberation and prayers, they finally gave in and ate from their friends’ bodies. More than two months later, 16 survivors were rescued.

       In an ordinary situation, this would be cannibalism. But the Lord doesn’t judge our actions alone; He sees what’s in our heart. He didn’t condemn David when he ate the consecrated bread the high priests offered at the temple. As Pope Francis said, “Judgment belongs only to God, to Him alone!” Reng D. Morelos (norinamorelos@gmail.com)

Reflect: How quick are we to judge the people around us? Do we feel holier than them?

Lord, please forgive me if I tend to judge others. Give me Your eyes and heart that I may be more loving towards others. Amen.

St. Bernard and Companions, pray for us.

God chose David to take the place of Saul as king of Israel. Samuel was reluctant to anoint a new king because Saul might see this as an act of treason. This paved the way for an uneasy coexistence between Saul and David, further complicated by David’s friendship with Saul’s son, Jonathan.

1 The Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” 2 But Samuel replied: “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” To this the Lord answered: “Take a heifer along and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do; you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you.” 4 Samuel did as the Lord had commanded him. When he entered Bethlehem, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and inquired, “Is your visit peaceful, O seer?” 5 He replied, “Yes! I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. So cleanse yourselves and join me today for the banquet.” He also had Jesse and his sons cleanse themselves and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The Lord has not chosen him.” 9 Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 10 In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any one of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” 12 Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The Lord said, “There — anoint him, for this is he!” 13 Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David. When Samuel took his leave, he went to Ramah.

R: I have found David, my servant.

19 [20] Once you spoke in a vision, and to your faithful ones you said: “On a champion I have placed a crown; over the people I have set a youth.” (R) 20 [21] “I have found  David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, 21 [22] that my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.” (R) 26 [27] “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.’ 27 [28] And I will make him the first-born, highest of the kings of the earth.” (R)

From the start of His ministry, Jesus makes it clear that His interest is the essence and not the letter of the Law. Knowing the difference determines the success or failure of our relationships and enterprises. Compassion and empathy are important aspects of human relationships, and without them they will not flourish.

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to our call.

23 As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. 24 At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? 26 How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” 27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. 28 That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

think: Have you ever felt angry at the Church? Why? How has your anger affected you?

Read the Bible in one year Matthew 1-3

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________

IMPEDIMENTS TO GROWTH

I am a certified promdi (from the province), so in love seeing the refreshing green fields every morning with its loamy aroma of earth drizzled with mist. In the afternoon, the same fields are a sight to behold, washed in gold and orange by sunset. Every time I get a chance to stop by a rice field, I walk barefoot to “feel the earth under my feet.” But it pains me how, over the years, the fields in Bulacan disappeared and were replaced by subdivisions and factories.

       The Gospel reading today reminds me of those breezy afternoons in the fields of Bulacan. St. Mark described how one Sabbath, Jesus and the 12 Apostles were in a wheatfield: “As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain” (Mark 2:23). Then came the Pharisees who asked Jesus, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”(Mark 2:24).

      The disciples and Jesus Christ saw freedom while the Pharisees saw impediment. The word “impediment” is from the verb “to impede,” which means to hinder progress, or to obstruct from the Latin “in pes” or “in foot,” which literally means “to step on” like on a brake pedal to stop. Now imagine you are walking through a path, a field maybe, and enjoying the experience when suddenly someone tells you nobody could pass through it. Surely you would feel disappointed and even disheartened that the law includes a prohibition to be joyful and free.

         Jesus invites us today to go out and be alive in the world, to make paths through the fields of this life. Dare and be bold to reach places and do things that are good and beneficial for everyone. Think out of the box, or even disregard the box, because the world is created for us to explore for the glory of God in service of mankind. Look at the possibilities rather than on the impediments. Fr. Nick Lalog

------- REFLECTION QUESTION -------

How do you look at your life, at your career — is it a series of possibilities or a series of impediments to growth and maturity?

Lord Jesus Christ, enlighten me with Your Holy Spirit that I may always seek You and follow and stand by Your Truth. Amen. 

Today, I pray for: ________________________________________________