Meditation for Friday, July 18th
"He fed them with finest wheat and He filled them with honey from the rock."
As I listen I become aware of how God feeds me ~ how He cares for my needs and fills me with good things ~+ how everything that is good in my life comes from God.
Reading from the Gospel Matthew 12:1-8: At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 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 the them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. but 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.”
Reflection: This is a vivid scene ~ drama ~ confrontation ~ conflict. How do you imagine it? Can you imagine it now? Spend a few moments just picturing it ~+~ what these people look like and sound like ~ their attitude ~ their tone of voice ~ the looks on their faces. How do you imagine the Pharisees? What do they look like? What is their attitude? Do you see them as self-righteous? Pompous perhaps? Nitpicking? Nasty? Or are they just scrupulous ~ conscientious ~ earnest?
And as you listen again this time concentrate on Jesus ~ his bearing ~ his tone of voice. How does he seem to you? "Something greater than the temple is here" ~ "The Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath." This is a statement as much as anything else about who Jesus is about his own importance. How do you react to this assertive Jesus? This straight talking Jesus who isn't afraid of confrontation? What do you want to say to Him now?
Click here for link to audio of meditation: view link
Peace,
Rudy
As I listen I become aware of how God feeds me ~ how He cares for my needs and fills me with good things ~+ how everything that is good in my life comes from God.
Reading from the Gospel Matthew 12:1-8: At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 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 the them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. but 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.”
Reflection: This is a vivid scene ~ drama ~ confrontation ~ conflict. How do you imagine it? Can you imagine it now? Spend a few moments just picturing it ~+~ what these people look like and sound like ~ their attitude ~ their tone of voice ~ the looks on their faces. How do you imagine the Pharisees? What do they look like? What is their attitude? Do you see them as self-righteous? Pompous perhaps? Nitpicking? Nasty? Or are they just scrupulous ~ conscientious ~ earnest?
And as you listen again this time concentrate on Jesus ~ his bearing ~ his tone of voice. How does he seem to you? "Something greater than the temple is here" ~ "The Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath." This is a statement as much as anything else about who Jesus is about his own importance. How do you react to this assertive Jesus? This straight talking Jesus who isn't afraid of confrontation? What do you want to say to Him now?
Click here for link to audio of meditation: view link
Peace,
Rudy
