Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath.”
(Mark 2:27-28)
Lord, all of your commandments were given to help us love you and our neighbor. In your infinite wisdom, you set aside a day for prayer and rest. The legalistic Pharisees, though, were so afraid of making a mistake that they set up rigorous laws to avoid even the semblance of disobedience. Thus, stripping grain from a stalk became, in their eyes, reaping.
You did not deny the observance of the sabbath but pointed out its true purpose. When you added that you are “Lord of the sabbath,” you proclaimed your divinity. It is not what you do that leads up to the Crucifixion so much as Who You Are, and whether you are believed. You came as one of us in order to manifest your love, to teach us, and most of all to save us. How can I live my faith in you at this point in my life? Help me to love you more and to thank you by honoring the commandments as signs of your providence and mercy. Help me to see beyond the trivial habits and distractions to the whole that is you.