Good deeds in His Presence

Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday of 15th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, 17th July, 2020
Texts: Is. 38:1-6.21-22.7-8; Ps. 38:10-12.16; Matt. 12:1-8
Today's first reading  shows the power of prayer. What gave the prayer of Hezekiah such effect and efficacy was his good deeds before God. Hezekiah puts his prayer thus: "Remember now, O Lord, I beseech you, how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight". It was his good deeds that moved the heart of God. This recalls psalm 69:18-20: "Had I been aware of guilt in my heart, the Lord would not have listened, but in fact God listen, attentive to the sound of my prayer. Blessed be God who has not turned away from my prayer, nor his own faithful love from me". Our good deeds often stand for us in time of trial and win us Divine Favour.
Being in good standing with God by our good deeds often gives us freedom from the law (Rm. 8:1-2). The law is for those who live according to the flesh; those who are in good standing with God always fulfil the spirit of the law. Jesus Christ, in today's gospel, cited the instance of David and his men breaking the law. By law the food was meant for the priest because it was meant to be eaten in a state of holiness (Lev. 24:9) and priests were expected to keep themselves holy always. Ahimelech the priest ensured that David and his men were clean before he gave them the consecrated bread (1Sam. 21:5-6).
Another example cited by Jesus was that of priest breaking Sabbath law. Sabbath law was meant to facilitate proper devotion to God. Priests were free from Sabbath law because without priestly function the law would not achieve its goal.
Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath because being God he is the author of the Sabbath; he is the authority behind it. The Sabbath is subject to his will, he could overrule any law about the Sabbath. For Jesus Christ to call himself the Lord of the Sabbath he has affirmed his equality with God. Being with Jesus makes us free from the law; in his presence we are preserved in good works.
Today's Readings remind us that being in good standing with God by our good deeds should be our concerns. Hence, Jesus Christ says, "And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice', you would not have condemned the guiltless". We enjoy God's faithful love and grace when we are in good standing with him and our salvation is sure.

Lord our God, give us the enablement to always persist in good works. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke