A Moment To Pause: Friday 17th July 2026

Welcome to our reflection today with Pauline Thomas from Anglesey, North Wales. Welcome to A Moment to Pause. Today's scripture reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12, verses 1 to 8. Jesus was going through a field of grain on the Sabbath, and his disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. On seeing this, the Pharisees confronted Jesus, saying, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the Sabbath.” Jesus reminds them of the words of the prophet Hosea: “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” If they understood these words, Jesus says, they would not have condemned these innocent men. He goes on to tell them, “I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.” Jesus returns the focus once again to the loyalty of a heart that recognises its need of healing and forgiveness, that mends its ways and returns with a humble, loving heart to the heart of God.  Mercy takes the first place for Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath.  Let us pray that today, whatever is in need of healing in our lives will be healed so that we may be made whole through the mercy of God. Thanks for joining us this morning.