Today's readings invite us to delve into the profound significance of PASSOVER , the deeper PURPOSE behind God's commands, and the ...
Today's readings invite us to delve into the profound significance of PASSOVER, the deeper PURPOSE behind God's commands, and the ultimate PRIMACY of His divine will and His Son.
In the First Reading from Exodus, we witness the dramatic prelude to the Passover. God instructs Moses on the ritual that would commemorate His final, devastating plague upon Egypt: the death of the firstborn. The blood of the lamb on the doorposts would signify protection and deliverance for the Israelites. This was not merely a historical event; it was an act steeped in divine purpose—to free His people from slavery and demonstrate His absolute power over all other gods and rulers. The Passover remains a foundational event, illustrating God's steadfast love and His active intervention for His chosen ones.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a different, yet related, challenge to understanding divine purpose. The Pharisees criticize Jesus and His disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath. They were adhering to the letter of the law, but missing its spirit. Jesus deftly reminds them that the Sabbath was made for humanity, not humanity for the Sabbath. He brings out the true purpose of the law – mercy over rigid sacrifice – quoting Hosea: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." This highlights Jesus' primacy as Lord of the Sabbath, as one who can interpret and fulfill the law's deepest meaning. He teaches that compassion and human need take precedence over strict adherence to external rules when the underlying purpose of God's heart is mercy.
Both readings, therefore, speak to a central truth: God acts with clear purpose, His love is ultimately for our protection and liberation, and His commands are always subject to His own primacy and merciful heart. The Passover points to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, our new Passover Lamb, whose purpose was to bring us true freedom. And Jesus' teaching on the Sabbath reminds us that true worship and obedience lie in understanding and living out the loving purpose of God, recognizing His primacy in all things, above any human interpretation or tradition.
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