Matthew 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.’ He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here. And if you had known what this means, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice”, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.’
The Pharisees reproached Jesus because His disciples picked ears of corn on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was sacred — a day of rest according to the Law. But the rules had become rigid, hollow. They had confused the means with the end, losing sight of what truly matters: love.
Jesus uses Scripture to correct this narrow interpretation of the law. Without abolishing it, He reveals its deeper meaning, exposing a twisted religiosity that follows rules but forgets to love. He teaches that mercy stands above the rule — and that every rule is meant to serve love.
In marriage, how often do we demand that our spouse follow our law — the law of “being right”? We insist on doing things our way, by our reasoning, with our standards. How hard it is to let go of the need to be right, to stop insisting on my way of doing things.
Today, the Lord teaches us the law of love and mercy. I see clearly now that even when my reasoning is sound, enforcing it might break communion with my spouse — and that never pleases the Lord.
Better to lose the argument than to lose love. Thank You, Lord, for Your gentle teaching and for warning us about the subtle pride that creeps into the heart.
Grounded in Married Life
Sarah: I’m falling more and more in love with the Lord every day. He’s so gentle in teaching us how to centre our hearts on what truly matters. Each Gospel reveals a bit more of who He is — and the more I know Him, the more I love Him.
Today, as I prayed about mercy, it was like I heard Him say: “You are My embrace for Adam. You are My smile, My patience, My tenderness…”
Adam: That’s incredible… We are His face in our home. We are called to embody the mercy of God. Our eyes, our ears, our hands… our bodies, our words — all of it! — are meant to communicate His mercy.
That’s where God is — loving through you. I love that Love has a face: your face, my face… and God’s face between us.
Mother,
May our only law be mercy and love. Help us to look at one another through your merciful gaze, and to become bearers of God’s tenderness to each other. Mother of Mercy, pray for us!