Friday, July 17, 2020 - 15th week of Ordinary Time - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 12, 1-8 - My sheep listen to my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

It is from tangible facts of daily life that Christ transmits his teaching. He does not literally follow the law of Moses as it is written in the book of Deuteronomy 23, 25: "When you go into your neighbor's field of ripe wheat, you may pluck ears of grain with your hand...", nor is it a question of transgressing the rules of society, but He wants the Pharisees to be able to see the facts and bring them to moderation rather than foolishly applying the law.

Are we going to look on without flinching when there's someone starving in front of us, life is more precious than the law, the law is meant to preserve life: "This is the meaning of human rights." Christ did not hesitate to take the defense of His disciples. In order not to follow the law literally, He wisely interpreted the facts and relied on three main points of what the law says to enlighten the Pharisees' minds. "Have you not read what David did...", "Or have you not read in the Law...", "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath...". Indeed, God is master of all things and wants to prove it in the eyes of the Pharisees, and we are only instruments. He is the master of all authority and we are the executors, therefore we will never command before God, He knows what is good for us.

Christ did not condemn His disciples, even though they harvested the wheat on the Sabbath day. His purpose is to preserve life, not to destroy it; it is we who sometimes renounce life by ignoring its existence. Obedience is meaningful only if it is done with love: "I want mercy, not sacrifice". Therefore, let us be careful not to be in opposition to God's will.