This question about healing on the Sabbath, or eating grain from the fields on the Sabbath, comes up in the Gospels more than once from the Pharisees who keep trying to test Jesus, or to find something to accuse him of.
In Mark's Gospel, Jesus responds to their testing by saying, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
The Sabbath was given to us so that we would have a day of rest from our labors as well as time to give thanks and praise to God.
From the beginning, the Sabbath was not an excuse to avoid doing what was necessary.
Whether to prepare meals to eat, take care of the animals, or, as today, for those who work in hospitals, police or fire departments, etc. To take their day off.
Yes, for those who are able, it can be a day dedicated to God.
Whether you take the Sabbath literally as Saturday, or you celebrate Sunday, the day of the week when we remember the resurrection, as the Sabbath, it is important to take a day for praise and thanks to God.
And if you can't take either of these days, then you need to take another day of the week as your "Sabbath."
The Pharisees were always trying to test Jesus.
They were always placing burdens on others while acting as it they were the holy ones.
Jesus called them hypocrites.
We need to remember that helping others is honoring God and is important regardless of the day of the week.
We should not be like the Pharisees.
Our actions should follow our words and our word to Jesus is that we will be of service to others as he would want.
