Are You Fooling Yourself?

~~~ 1 Corinthians 4:6B-15 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Luke 6:1-5 ~~~

Who confers distinction upon you?
What do you possess that you have not received?

Paul is reminding the Corinthians that they are confused
 by their own good fortunes.

They are mesmerized by their own
accomplishments and not on the workings of God.

We may find ourselves in a similar state when we are successful in life.
We often need to be reminded that all comes from God.
Whatever we may do well in our life proceeds
 from the gifts we have been given by God.
If we use those gifts well we may have success,
if we misuse the gifts it may be to our eventual destruction. 

It is true, we can better ourselves and improve our gifts. 

The real question we need to ask ourselves is...
what is our purpose?
How do we envision using our gifts?
Do we see gifts making life better for ourselves
at the expense of others or do we see our gifts
 making life better for others?

Jesus walked through the field of grain...

Jesus 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.

All that Jesus did while living among us as one of us
was for the well-being of others.

He was not restricted by the execution of the precise letter of the law.
One does not starve just because it is the Sabbath.
One does not allow another to suffer just because the Sabbath
requires one to 'rest' from certain activity.

Compassion is more important then the keeping
of rituals, laws, or customs. 

The scribes and the Pharisees were stuck.
They were chained to the exact keeping of the laws.
Compassion for another human being was a foreign concept for them.
The had to maintain their public position on matters
concerning the keeping of the Sabbath.

They felt superior and confident that they were
 correct and that Jesus was wrong.

They were satisfied with who they were.
They saw no need to change.
Paul is facing the same situation with the Corinthians...
They were quite satisfied with who they had become.

Paul had to shake them up a bit just as Jesus did walking
through the field of grain with the apostles
plucking, rubbing, and eating
on the Sabbath. 

We must never become satisfied with who we are
 because there is a chance we can be better.

God us constantly calling us to reach higher.
We can never be perfect so we must always
 strive toward perfection in the Lord.

We are Blessed to never lose sight of who is the giver of all gifts.

We can always improve.
~~~Peace~~~

'Trail Mix' Lesson

~~~ Hebrews 6:10-20 ~~~ Psalm 111 ~~~ Mark 2:23-28 ~~~

 

Observing the Sabbath as special and holy.

 

'...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.'

 

Jesus and his disciples are passing through a field of grain.

They are hungry, so they eat what is available...

the tips of the grain.

It is their 'trail mix' of the day.

There is just one minor problem; it is the Sabbath.

Jewish law has strict guidelines for keeping the Sabbath set aside.

Keeping the Sabbath holy is the fourth commandment;

so how is it that Jesus appears to ignore this law?

 

Jesus so often challenges the Pharisees, today is no exception.

Is it more important to follow the letter of the law

or to act for the good of the person?

 

In this case Jesus chose the later...

it was better for his disciples to eat for their

journey was long.

Of course Jesus knew the Pharisees were intently watching his every action.

So picking the grain to eat was not overlooked.

 

Jesus quickly refreshes their memory with the story of David.

David actually ate of the bread set aside solely for temple use.

This would have been considered far worse an infraction.

So it was not about what they ate or that they ate this grain.

It was only about when they ate.

It seems somewhat trite in today's world.

The Sabbath was to be a day of rest.

Picking grain would have been considered work.

 

How about today?

Just to attend Sunday services we get into our car and drive.

For some the very act of driving is their work.

Driving a vehicle is their job.

If we follow the logic of the Pharisees just going to the church building

would be in violation of the law.

 

 

The Pharisees prided themselves on knowing every letter of the law.

They were the authorities.

They were the ones who were appointed to interpret the meaning of the law.

Thus the plucking of grain on the Sabbath

was in violation of the law.

 

The laws were very black and white for the Pharisees,

 but not so with Jesus.

Jesus saw the bigger picture.

 

Within the boundaries of laws were real people.

Real people cannot always be held to the letter of the law.

Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances when a person decides

to make a choice outside of the law.

Not above the law just outside the strict interpretation of the law.

 

Perhaps keeping holy the Sabbath has more to do with your mental attitude...

is your intention to at least give back to God one day a week.

At least one day of the week to stop and consider all that God has done for you.

 

All during the week we are harvesting the grain.

When we set aside the Sabbath each week we can take the opportunity

to open our hand and look at what we have.

 

The Sabbath should be used to retreat if possible from the

extreme business of our daily lives.

This Sunday when you attend Mass bring with you the

tiny grains you have collected during the previous days.

It may be a time to leave them at the altar.

It may be a time to thank God for just the smallest

single grain held tightly in your hand.

 

Walk with Jesus through the fields

and you are sure to find tiny grains of blessings.