Mercy over sacrifice

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

CHRIST said it plainly: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” He made this declaration after some leading Jews accused his disciples of violating the sabbath by plucking ears of corn to satisfy their hunger. (cfr. Mt 12,1-8)

With those words, Christ was teaching a fundamental truth: mercy, compassion, and genuine human need must always take precedence over a rigid and legalistic observance of rules. The sabbath was instituted for man’s benefit—for rest, worship, and renewal—not as an oppressive burden.

That lesson remains relevant today. We need a proper understanding of laws and the attitude we should have toward them. Laws are necessary and indispensable for maintaining justice, peace, and order in society. Without them, confusion and arbitrariness would prevail.

But beyond simple compliance, we should recognize that every law finds its fullest meaning only in the heart of Christ, where justice is always united with mercy and truth is inseparable from charity.

That’s why there are occasions when exceptions to human laws can rightly be made. No law, however carefully crafted, can fully capture every concrete human situation or perfectly express the boundless mercy of God. Human legislation is always limited because it is the work of finite minds. It must therefore be interpreted and applied with wisdom, compassion, and a sincere concern for the good of persons.

We should be especially vigilant against the danger of legalism, which values the letter of the law while neglecting its spirit. The best safeguard against this temptation is to cultivate a living union with Christ.

Everything—including our legal and judicial systems, as well as the drafting, interpretation, and enforcement of laws—should constantly be referred to him.

Christ himself made this point unmistakably when the Pharisees questioned him about his disciples’ conduct on the sabbath. He answered: “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” (cfr. Mk 2,23-28) With those words, he restored the proper hierarchy: laws exist to promote authentic human flourishing and ultimately to lead us to God.

Our human laws should therefore be grounded on the natural law, which is our participation in God’s eternal law. God, our Creator, is the first and ultimate lawgiver, and every just law derives its authority from him.

More specifically, the natural moral law recognizes God as the source, foundation, and end of all law. It reminds us that we are created in God’s image and likeness, called to become his children and to share in his divine life. Every legal system worthy of the name should respect this transcendent truth and direct the human person toward authentic freedom and moral goodness.

A legal system detached from this foundation is already defective from the beginning. When law rests solely on human consensus or changing public opinion, the letter inevitably prevails over the spirit. Man then assumes the role that belongs to God alone, acting as though he were the supreme lawgiver, fully capable of defining truth, justice, and even human nature according to his own preferences.

Yet even when our legal system explicitly acknowledges God as the source and end of all law, it still reflects the limitations of our human condition. That is why the letter of the law must always be enlivened by its proper spirit—the Spirit of God, who inspires wisdom, justice, mercy, and charity.

For this reason, God must remain at the center of every stage of our legal life: in making laws, interpreting them, and applying them. Only then can our laws truly serve their highest purpose—leading every person toward his ultimate destiny: communion with God, holiness of life, and everlasting happiness in him.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com