CALLED TO PROPER DISCERNMENT

 

Saturday of week 22 in Ordinary Time 

1 Corinthians 4:6-15 

Psalm 144(145):17-21

Luke 6:1-5

In today’s Gospel, we observe Jesus and his disciples walking through a field of grain. The disciples experience a fundamental human need: hunger. Given that the grain was readily available, they began to pick and eat it. The Pharisees, always vigilant for violations of religious law, observe this behavior and accuse them of breaking the Sabbath regulations. Jesus responds by recalling that King David committed a similar act and concludes with the statement, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

This passage can be interpreted as aligning with the adage, “Some rules are meant to be broken.” Such scenes recur throughout the Gospels, where Jesus performs acts of kindness on the Sabbath and faces criticism from religious authorities. Does Jesus imply that rules are inconsequential?

At first glance, one might think, “I do not need to adhere to all these rules.” However, at that stage of life, proper discernment might not be adequate and proper understanding could be immature. 

I believe Jesus is teaching that one must consider the broader context when determining the correct course of action. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The circumstances, including the consequences, are secondary elements of a moral act. They contribute to increasing or diminishing the moral goodness or evil of human acts.” Just as Jesus took into account a wider perspective beyond merely “What do the rules say?” we are called to exercise the gift of discernment granted by the Spirit as we navigate life’s decisions. 

While adhering to a rigid set of rules without reflection might seem simpler, it risks replicating the behavior Jesus criticized in the Pharisees. As Christians, we are called to be Christ’s representatives in the world, diligently discerning the Father’s will when faced with challenging decisions and allowing His Spirit to guide us.