Jul 16 2021

First reading Exodus 11:10-12:14

The institution of the Passover

Moses and Aaron worked many wonders in the presence of Pharaoh. But the Lord made Pharaoh’s heart stubborn, and he did not let the sons of Israel leave his country.

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt:

‘This month is to be the first of all the others for you, the first month of your year. Speak to the whole community of Israel and say, “On the tenth day of this month each man must take an animal from the flock, one for each family: one animal for each household. If the household is too small to eat the animal, a man must join with his neighbour, the nearest to his house, as the number of persons requires. You must take into account what each can eat in deciding the number for the animal. It must be an animal without blemish, a male one year old; you may take it from either sheep or goats. You must keep it till the fourteenth day of the month when the whole assembly of the community of Israel shall slaughter it between the two evenings. Some of the blood must then be taken and put on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where it is eaten. That night, the flesh is to be eaten, roasted over the fire; it must be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled, but roasted over the fire, head, feet and entrails. You must not leave any over till the morning: whatever is left till morning you are to burn. You shall eat it like this: with a girdle round your waist, sandals on your feet, a staff in your hand. You shall eat it hastily: it is a passover in honour of the Lord. That night, I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, man and beast alike, and I shall deal out punishment to all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord! The blood shall serve to mark the houses that you live in. When I see the blood I will pass over you and you shall escape the destroying plague when I strike the land of Egypt. This day is to be a day of remembrance for you, and you must celebrate it as a feast in the Lord’s honour. For all generations you are to declare it a day of festival, for ever.”’

Responsorial Psalm 115(116):12-13,15-18

The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.

How can I repay the Lord

for his goodness to me?

The cup of salvation I will raise;

I will call on the Lord’s name.

The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.

O precious in the eyes of the Lord

is the death of his faithful.

Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;

you have loosened my bonds.

The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.

A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;

I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfil

before all his people.

The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.

Gospel Matthew 12:1-8

The Son of Man is master of the sabbath

Jesus took a walk one sabbath day through the cornfields. His disciples were hungry and began to pick ears of corn and eat them. The Pharisees noticed it and said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath.’ But he said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God and how they ate the loaves of offering which neither he nor his followers were allowed to eat, but which were for the priests alone? Or again, have you not read in the Law that on the sabbath day the Temple priests break the sabbath without being blamed for it? Now here, I tell you, is something greater than the Temple. And if you had understood the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the blameless. For the Son of Man is master of the sabbath.’

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(Versi English)

Reflection
Exodus 11:10-12: 14, Matthew 12:1-8’

“Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice”
The Pharisees criticised Jesus’ disciples because they considered their action of picking the ears of corn as breaking the Sabbath law. They were concerned with the observances of rules and empty sacrificial offerings that they missed the essential value of being merciful as God desired of them. Jesus responded to their condemnation by bringing them back to the core truth of the religion by quoting Prophet Hosea: “Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice”.

To be merciful entails placing the needs of the human person above following religious rules and norms. It is to feed the hungry, welcome the rejected ones, care for the needy, forgive the shortcomings of others, etc. Today, let us be aware of the self-righteousness within us that tend to be quick to criticise and condemn others. May we put mercy as our top priority above all else.

Question for reflection:
Do I allow mercy to shape my heart and guide my thoughts?

(Versi BM)

Renungan
Keluaran 11:10-12: 14, Matius 12:1-8

“Yang Kukehendaki adalah belas kasihan, bukan persembahan”
Orang-orang Farisi mengkritik pengikut-pengikut Yesus kerana mereka menganggap tindakan mereka memetik bulir gandum telah melanggar hukum Sabat. Mereka Mereka lebih mementingkan ketaatan hukum dan persembahan korban yang kosong sehingga mereka lupa nilai penting untuk berbelas kasih seperti yang dikehendaki Allah untuk mereka. Yesus menanggapi kecaman mereka dengan membawa mereka kembali ke inti kebenaran agama dengan mengutip kata-kata Nabi Hosea: “Yang Kukehendaki ialah belas kasihan dan bukan persembahan”.

Berbelas kasih bererti menempatkan keperluan peribadi manusia melebihi hukum dan norma agama. Ini bererti memberi makan kepada yang lapar, menerima mereka yang ditolak, memberi perhatian kepada yang memerlukan, mengampuni kekurangan orang lain dan sebagainya. Marilah menyedari keberadaan diri sendiri yang mempunyai kecenderungan untuk cepat mengkritik dan menjatuhkan orang lain. Semoga kita menempatkan belas kasihan sebagai keutamaan di atas segalanya.

Soalan renungan:
Adakah saya membenarkan belas kasihan membentuk hati dan membimbing fikiran saya?

(Versi Murut)

*Kaingkualan 11:10-12, 14; Matius 12:1-8*

Kalo boo nabuoi ragili, paat rondo’ orou Sabat, pansail i Jisus ra umo ru gandum. Maamaya-maamaya’ Nano naitilan, am tumalimpuun ilo mangupu’ ra gandum no am akano’. Paat ra ulun-ulun ru Parisi nakakito raginio, konilo ri Jisus, “Ilai’ noyo, maamaya’-maamaya’ Muno minanggal ra Ukum ri Musa mambaal koson raginio paat ra orou Sabat!” Taam i Jisus, “Kalo kia igondo’ kau pambasa’ atan ondo’ binaal ru raja’ Daut paat ra io am ulun-ulun nali naitilan? Subol io ralalom Baloi Tuhan. Io am ulun-ulun nali pana nangakan ra ruti’ ondo’ pinataak noyo ri Aki Kapuuno’, kabalu’ pana baal raginio manggal ra Ukum ri Musa. Imam-imam ayuk ondo’ makapangakan ra ruti’ no. Kapoam kalo poyo igondo’ kau pambasa’ ralalom ru Ukum ri Musa ra moonong orou Sabat, imam mangandoi ralalom Baloi Tuhan am sotopot no manggal ilo ra ukum ru orou Sabat, kaa’ ilo ti kolondo’ sala! Balain Ku akau: Ragiti mokoondo’ ondo’ maatang poyo intor ra Baloi Tuhan. Mokoondo’ tinulisan ra Buuk Kitab, ‘Marara’ Aku ra taak ondo’ sinimbalui min kaa’ masaga’ Aku ra makaasi’ kau ra ulun bokon. Amon ru nakarati’ kau ra atan koson ru raguon no, maaru’ kalo manguu’ kau ra ulun ondo’ kolondo’ sala. Sabap ra Anak ru Ulun no Tuhan ra orou Sabat.”

Makaasi’ noyo ondo’ kasagaan Kuno, sala’ ka taak ondo’ sinimbalui
Nansawai ulun-ulun ru Parisi ra maamaya’-maamaya’ ri Jisus sabap ra kinara’ ondo’ binaal nilo no nangupu’ ra kawa’ ru gandum no minanggal ra ukum ru orou Sabat. Maimamang ilo ra kaulayan am taak sinimbalui am taak ra umang no ondo’ kalo maratian nilo ondo’ maatang no makaasi’ koson koogot ri Aki Kapuuno’ risilo. Taam ri Jisus ra pagulasan nilo no ra mampakara’ saguli’ risilo ra ondo’ kaatangon kasaa’ ru ugama ondo’ kon ri nabi Gosia: “Makaasi’ noyo ondo’ kasagaan Kuno, sala’ ka taak ondo’ sinimbalui.”
Sumauk ra ulun ondo’ makaasi’ gogoton paguluon ondo’ gogot ru ulun ka ukum ru ugama am kaulayan. Ginio iono mampaakan ra ondo’ maitilan, mangapu ra ondo’ impayin, mampalio ra ondo’ gumogot makiindangan, mangampun ra kasalaan ru ulun ra bokon, am bokon-bokon poyo. Orou raiti’ ibok takau pagilalain ra galama’ no ondo’ motopot ra itakau po ngai’ ondo bambal maluoi mangiis am magulas ra ulun bokon. Gama’ ru pasiguluon takau makaasi’ koson ra ondo’ kasaa’ tojojo intor ra ngangai’.

Pangkuatan ra paguangin:
Mangiou aku kia ra makaasi’ manalingapu ra guang kuno am manguasa’ ra pangkaraan kuno?

(Versi Iban)

Renungan
Pemansut 11:10-12:14; Matthew 12:1-8

“Aku begunaka pengasih, ukai piring.”
Orang Parisi negur murid Jesus laban pengawa bala murid ti nyerurut tangkai gandum nya enda disagi adat Sabat. Orang Parisi angkun ka adat sereta piring lebih agi ari pengasih Allah Taala nyadi ka juluk ati sida. Jesus nyaut sida lalu ngingatka sida pasal pemendar lebuh Iya nusi jako nabi Hosea:”Aku begunaka pengasih,ukai piring”.

Bepengasih meransang kitai awak meda utai ti dipeguna orang lebih agi ari atur adat. Meri pemakai ka sida ti lapar, nerima sida ti kena beduan, nyaup sida ti seranta, ngampun pengurang orang bukai, sereta macam pekara manah bukai. Saritu, aram kitai berati ka pengelurus diri ti bisi dalam kitai ngambi enda jampat ngeletak ukum tauka ngakim orang bukai. Awak ka kitai bejadika pengasih pekara ti berat ari semua utai bukai.

Kati aku meri awak pengasih ngubah ati sereta runding aku?

(Versi Cina)

省思
«出十一:10-十二:14»
«玛十二:1-8»

” 我所喜悦的仁爱，而不是祭献”

法利塞人批评耶稣的门徒因为认为门徒摘麦穗的行为违反了安息日的律法。法利塞人关心的是遵守法律和空虚的祭献，因此他们错过了像天主一样仁慈的基本价值观，天主所渴望他们做的。耶稣回应他们的批评，接着引用先知欧瑟亚的话语指导他们回到宗教的核心真理： “我喜爱仁爱，而不是祭献”。

实行仁爱包含重视人们的需要超越遵守宗教法律和规范。那些就是喂饱饥饿的人、欢迎被拒绝的人、关心有需要的人、原谅别人的缺点等等。今天让我们注意我们内在的自以，倾向迅速批评和谴责他人。愿我们以仁爱成为我们的优先事项。

省思题：
我是否允许仁爱塑造我的心并且引导我的思想？

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr. Sandra Seow FMVD.