The Holy Martyr Agrippina
Apostles’ Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
Romans 11:25-36; Matthew 12:1-8.
Read Matthew 12:1-8
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Often we hear Jesus confronting the Pharisees on their misguided interpretation of Scripture and wrong emphasis on the minutia of Law of God: “You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” (Matt 23:24).
Like the prophets in the Old Testament, who were not afraid to speak the truth even in the face of great opposition of people with earthly authority, Jesus lived a prophetic ministry. The Old Testament prophets were willing to suffer for the Truth and they were just a foreshadowing of the Prophet yet to come. Jesus is the greatest and the definitive prophet. In fact, it’s through his authority that the Old Testament prophets function. His authority not only supersedes the prophets, but it is even greater than the Sabbath. The Sabbath is part of God’s creation imbedded in the fabric of life. It was created to renew life within us through a restful union with the Source of all creation. Through his prophetic words Jesus is not only correcting the misguided leaders, but he is claiming to have the highest authority. The rest and renewal that we find with God in and through the Holy Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Being the Lord of the Sabbath means that he created it and now he fulfills it by offering humanity true and eternal rest in him: he offers our loving relationship with the one God and Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit.