Saturday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Title

Lord of the Sabbath

Outline

It was, of course, a normal walk on the Sabbath

They were going somewhere on a path through grainfields - perhaps to a quiet place to rest or for some teaching

The disciples were hungry, so they pick heads of grain within reach, rubbed off the chaff and ate them - all allowed in the Torah

But they were not Pharisees: there are 63 types of work prohibited on the Sabbath and their actions included two or three of them - only danger of death would abrogate the issue

The Pharisees were not so much after the disciples, whom they knew were unlearned, but after Jesus - he had not said anything to stop them, perhaps even ate some himself

Jesus shocks them with his response

He cites a scriptural example of a righteous man, David, being offered and accepting the “bread of the presence” when he was in need and passing by the tabernacle in Nob - the Torah was clear: only priests could eat that bread - no exceptions

Is he equating himself with David and his mission with David’s? Is he making that preposterous exception?

Then Jesus goes one step further: “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” Who is Lord of the Sabbath who could create it and change it? God, of course, who gave it to Moses in the Ten Words. Now listen to Jesus again: “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

David may have gotten away with breaking the Torah because of who he was, but the Son of Man is more than that - he has the authority of YHWH himself and so can modify Sabbath Torah as he sees fit. He is Lord.

Sisters, not what is and is not said

He did not say that the disciples were lords of the sabbath - we do not have authority to set aside God’s rules because of our own reasons

He did not say that Sabbath Torah was not binding - we do not have authority to reject the Sabbath, although Christians often run conferences and the like over the Sabbath

He did say that he was Lord of the Sabbath and therefore if he tacitly or otherwise allows his disciples to break the Sabbath they are acting within the authority of God - this makes them “persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven” - the freedom of the gospel is the freedom to follow Christ

I am sure that the Pharisees were incensed, for they rejected the claim - the Torah was over any man; I am not sure that the disciples “got it,” for if they had, would they not have dropped to the ground in awe and worship?

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 9-4-2021: Saturday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Colossians 1:21–23

21 And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds 22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him, 23 provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, am a minister.

Catholic Daily Readings 9-4-2021: Saturday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 54:6

6 God is present as my helper;

the Lord sustains my life.

PSALM

Psalm 54:3–4, 6, 8

3 O God, by your name save me.

By your strength defend my cause.

4 O God, hear my prayer.

Listen to the words of my mouth.

6 God is present as my helper;

the Lord sustains my life.

8 Then I will offer you generous sacrifice

and give thanks to your name, LORD, for it is good.

Catholic Daily Readings 9-4-2021: Saturday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

John 14:6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

GOSPEL

Luke 6:1–5

1 While he was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. 2 Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” 3 Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those [who were] with him were hungry? 4 [How] he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions.” 5 Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 9-4-2021: Saturday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR 1 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Colossians 1:21–23

Response Psalm 54:6

Psalm Psalm 54:3–4, 6, 8

Gospel Acclamation John 14:6

Gospel Luke 6:1–5

GREEN