Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 17, 2023
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.
At this the Pharisees said to him,
“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
He said to them,
“Have you never read what David did
when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest
and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,
and shared it with his companions?”
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.”
Reflection
I’m the type of person who avoids rest. As a kid, I’d make up every excuse to steer clear of naps. I was even known to sneak out of the house on occasion because exploring the neighborhood and chatting with neighbors was way more exciting than watching the minutes pass by until nap time was finally over.
As an adult, I appreciate the good six-ish hours of sleep each night, but I still count down the minutes until it’s time to wake up to seize the day. And, yes, I still avoid naps.
So when I read this passage, I was drawn to the fact that “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” Once again, we see that the Pharisees were stuck in their understanding of the law and trying to trap Jesus in his actions, but they were missing the point. Jesus was trying to help them understand that the sabbath was created for our benefit and should be a blessing, rather than a burden.
Someone once shared with me that God created mankind in his image on the sixth day, and on the seventh day, he rested (Genesis 1:26-2:2). So actually, the first day for mankind was a day of rest! And I’m positive that our rest, rather than our weariness, always produces our best work.
I’ve begrudgingly learned over the years that when I take the time to slow down and be intentional about rest, I’m usually much more pleasant and productive. I also know that when I’m rested, I’m more equipped and able to love God and love others, which is the most important thing we’re called to do.
Prayer
Lord God, how marvelous are your deeds, holy and awesome is your name. You are Lord and master of all things, of even the Sabbath. May we always strive to keep holy the Lord’s Day and live every day as the gift it is from you. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Anthony the Abbot is the famous father of monasticism in the Church—he took the Gospel literally and gave everything away to seek God in prayer.
Anthony was born in Egypt in 251, and when his parents died when he was about 20 years old, he assumed responsibility for the family’s 300 acres and for the care of his sister.
One day at Mass, he heard the words of Jesus proclaimed from this Gospel passage: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mt 19:21). The passage moved him to action, and he walked out of the Church at that moment and gave away all of his property except what he and his sister needed for sustenance.
Later, he heard Jesus’ words from this passage: “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Mt 6:34). He immediately gave away the rest of their property and entrusted his sister to the care of a convent. He began a simple life on the outskirts of town, embracing only prayer, fasting, and manual labor.
When he was thirty-five, he moved even further out of town to live alone in an abandoned fort. He received rations of bread only a few times a year and spoke to people through a crack in the wall. By this time, he was becoming well-known for his faithfulness and wisdom and people sought him out for counsel and healing.
Feeling disturbed by the crowds who were seeking him out, he went deep into the desert, where he lived by a small spring of water. His life took on a rhythm of prayer and work, a pattern that continues to sustain monastic communities today. Soon, hundreds of people followed his example by going into the desert to live an ascetical life of prayer, and they began to loosely congregate into communities.
During his time in the desert, Anthony became friends with St. Paul the Hermit, whose feast day fell two days ago. The two friends are depicted in murals that face one another in the Basilica, and they are also shown receiving bread from a bird in this woodcut from the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art (seen below). Relics of both of them stand in the reliquary chapel.
Anthony died at the age of one hundred and five. St. Athanasius, who knew Anthony and wrote his story, said, "Anthony was not known for his writings nor for his worldly wisdom, nor for any art, but simply for his reverence toward God." He is depicted here with a book of Scripture that is aflame because God’s word sparked a fire in him to devote his whole life to God.
St. Anthony the Abbot, who sought perfection by giving away everything in order to seek treasure in heaven—pray for us!
Image credit: Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471-1528), St. Anthony Visits St. Paul in the Wilderness, ca. 1503, woodcut. Raclin Murphy Museum of Art: Acquired with funds provided by the Humana Endowment for American Art, 1991.001.157.