Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

18 July • "I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice"

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In our Gospel today, Jesus argues with the Pharisees and declares definitively that God desires mercy more than following the letter of the law. In our dealing with ourselves and with others, are we more concerned about making sure that everyone is following the rules or about helping the people who are suffering?

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Welcome from Fr. Scott at St. Patrick’s, South Bend
00:19 Dominicans Assisting Between Pastors
00:31 Jesus vs. the Pharisees – Law vs. Mercy
00:40 Sabbath Scene: Disciples Pluck Grain
00:51 Pharisees Object to Breaking the Sabbath
01:00 Jesus Clarifies the Law’s Flexibility
01:07 “I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice”
01:20 Pharisees Miss the Point of Mercy
01:27 Law and Sacrifice Must Serve Mercy
01:39 Innocence of the Disciples – Feeding the Hungry
01:56 Feeding the Hungry Is Never Wrong
02:06 Mercy: Meeting Real Human Needs
02:14 Law Has Its Place, But Not Over Compassion
02:27 When Law Must Yield to Love
02:35 Seeing the Suffering of Others
02:45 Mercy as the Heart of Christian Action
03:01 Applies to Personal Life and Public Policy
03:14 Governing with Compassion Over Legalism
03:23 Let All Laws Serve Mercy and Healing
03:39 A Call to Be People of Mercy
03:48 That’s What God Desires Most

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