Today’s Readings from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops
The field of grain that Jesus and his disciples were going through was probably wheat. They would rub the grains in their hands to free them from the outer shell so they could eat them. They did this on the Sabbath which was the day of rest. The Pharisees were always on the watch to find something to condemn Jesus. They pointed out to him that his disciples were breaking the Sabbath day of rest by their actions: “…on the seventh day you must rest even during the seasons of plowing and harvesting” (Ex 34:21). They were overly strict when they considered the disciples to be harvesting the wheat. The law also said, “When you go through your neighbor’s grain field, you may pluck some of the ears with your hands, but do not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain” (Deut 23:26).
We must be careful not to be overly strict in interpreting God’s laws. Having compassion for others’ needs is also important. That is also a requirement of God’s law: “Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:10).
In attempting to loosen up the Pharisees from being overly strict, Jesus pointed out to them an incident in King David’s life when he and his men ate “the bread of offering” which only the priests could lawfully eat (1 Sam 21:1-7). This was allowable because David and his men were hungry—just as were Jesus’ disciples. Jesus also pointed out that for a special reason the priests break the Sabbath law in order to minister in the temple. In doing this sacred work they were perfectly innocent of any wrongdoing.
What did Jesus mean when he said, “…something greater than the Temple is here?” Jesus is the new and greater Temple of God (Jn 2:19). If the priests of the Old Testament could serve in the Temple on the Sabbath and remain guiltless, so can Jesus’ disciples work with Jesus on the Sabbath and remain sinless.
External sacrifices are meaningless when the heart of a person is not in them. The sacrifice must be an expression of the heart’s desire for it to have worth and be acceptable to God.
The Pharisees focused too much on the extra rules they added on to the law to the detriment of the respect and mercy due to persons. Jesus is saying that they need to start having merciful hearts for people and their human needs. They ought to focus their concern more in that direction than trying to catch them breaking the endless rules that they fabricated. They need to be more humane in their treatment of others. Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 to show that God’s word supports his interpretation and reason for acting the way he did: God desires mercy.
As a Son of Man (who is also divine: Dan 7:13-14) Jesus has the authority to interpret the law: he interprets it in a merciful way. The Sabbath law does not oblige a person to go hungry in order to keep it.
From comelordjesus.com
THE CONCHO PADRE POST 
Commentary – Saturday of the 15th week in Ordinary Time
Click here to see today’s readings.
17-21. Once again the sacred text points out the contrast between the contem-
porary mistaken Jewish notion of a spectacular messianic kingdom and the dis-
cernment which Jesus asks of those who witness and accept His teaching and
miracles. By providing this long quotation from Isaiah (42:1-4), the Evangelist is
giving us the key to the teaching contained in Chapters 11 and 12: in Jesus the
prophecy of the Servant of Yahweh is fulfilled: the lovable and gentle teacher
has come to bring the light of truth.
When narrating the passion of our Lord, the Gospels will once again remind us
of the figure of the Servant of Yahweh, to show that in Jesus the suffering and
expiatory aspect of the death of the Servant finds fulfillment (cf. Matthew 27:30,
with reference to Is 50:6; Matthew 8:17 and Isaiah 53:4; John 1:38 and Isaiah
53:9-12; etc.).
17. Isaiah 42:1-4 speaks of a humble servant, beloved of God, chosen by God.
And in fact Jesus, without ceasing to be the Son of God, one in substance with
the Father, took the form of a servant (cf. Philippians 2:6). This humility led him
to cure and care for the poor and afflicted of Israel, without seeking acclaim.
18. See the note on Matthew 3:16.
[Note on Matthew 3:16 states:
16. Jesus possessed the fullness of the Holy Spirit from the moment of His con-
ception. This is due to the union of human nature and divine nature in the per-
son of the Word (the dogma of hypostatic union). Catholic teaching says that in
Christ there is only one person (who is divine) but two natures (divine and human).
The descent of the Spirit of God spoken of in the text indicates that just as Jesus
was solemnly commencing His messianic task, so the Holy Spirit was beginning
His action through Him. There are very many texts in the Old Testament which
speak of the showing forth of the Holy Spirit in the future Messiah. This sign of
the Spirit gave St. John the Baptist unmistakable proof of the genuineness of his
testimony concerning Christ (cf. John 1:29-34). The mystery of the Holy Trinity is
revealed in the baptism of Jesus: the Son is baptized; the Holy Spirit descends
on Him in the form of a dove; and the voice of the Father gives testimony about
His Son. Christians must be baptized in the name of the Three Divine Persons.
“If you have sincere piety, the Holy Spirit will descend on you also and you will
hear the voice of the Father saying to you from above: “This was not My son, but
now after Baptism he has been made My son” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, “De Bap-
tismo”, 14).]
19. The justice proclaimed by the Servant, who is filled with the Holy Spirit, is
not a noisy virtue. We can see the loving, gentle way Jesus worked His miracles,
performing righteousness in all humility. This is how He brings about the triumph
of His Father’s Justice, His plan of revelation and salvation–very quietly and very
effectively.
20. According to many Fathers, including St. Augustine and St. Jerome, the
bruised reed and the smoldering wick refer to the Jewish people. They also stand
for every sinner, for our Lord does not seek the sinner’s death but his conversion,
and his life (cf. Ezekiel 33:11). The Gospels often bear witness to this reassuring
truth (cf. Luke 15:11-32), the parable of the prodigal son; Matthew 18:12-24, the
parable of the lost sheep; etc.).
From an online Irish commentary