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Gospel Reading for September 05, 2026 – Luke 6: 1-5
JOYFUL REST
While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”
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The Pharisees were always on the watch for what Jesus would do on a Sabbath because they had imposed a complex system of oral traditions and legalistic restrictions, with 39 main categories of forbidden work. Reaping and gathering were considered forbidden work. Hence, they complained when they saw His disciples picking heads of grain and eating them. Healing the sick was also considered forbidden work, and as we all know, Jesus was a healer. They were certain He would heal on a Sabbath.
Catholics did not continue the Jewish practice of observing the Sabbath, which the Jews considered their day of rest. Instead, Catholics celebrate Sunday as the Lord’s Day, giving emphasis to Christ’s victory over sin through His Resurrection and to the descent of the Holy Spirit, both of which happened on a Sunday.
For us, the Lord’s Day is meant to be a day of JOYFUL REST, not a day of burden. It is a day to celebrate God’s love and compassion for His people. That is why, universally, Sunday is considered Family Day, when family members take a break from work and school, allowing everyone to gather, rest, and reconnect before a new week begins.
But for us Christians, that is not the only reason. Most importantly, Sunday is a day to thank God for the week of blessings He has bestowed on our family.
Lord Jesus, may everything we do each day be our offering of love to You, so that every Sunday may truly be a day of JOYFUL REST and a day of gratitude for all the blessings we have received throughout the week. Amen.
