"I will call upon the name of the Lord"

EQ—I posted a response to your comment under yesterday’s blog. I think it might be of help to you. Thank you for helping me—your search for faith in Jesus Christ is helping me to continue my search for more faith!
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Mom—I have a funny story—sort of. I spoke to Deacon Karl today about my application for pastoral service. I wanted to know if I “passed” muster on the questions. (I did and the "application" is in Father Brandon's hands now). He said, “So you’re Angela’s nephew?” I said, “No!, I’m her son!” He replied, “Oh, I see where you get your faith, then”. And “Oh, yes, I remember Angela and Bob and Barbara—they were all great Catholics!” I said, “I hope to God Mom still IS a good Catholic!—At least she was when I saw her last!” It just struck me as funny that he kept speaking about you in the past tense! Of course his mind wasn’t completely on our conversation—his daughter (who lives in Canada) told him today that he’s going to be a first time grandfather next April! He said he’s too young! Ha ha.

OK, now to the blog:
Ps 116:12-13, 15 and 16bc, 17-18
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.

To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.


Mt 12:1-8
Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath."

He said to the them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat?

Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?

I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath."

It's easy to forget God and the saving works of God accomplished on our behalf. We meet lots of people, deal with lots of emails every day, work long hours, and try to remember all the things we have to do. Busy-ness allows us to forget.

Without that memory, we’re never thankful, never grateful. How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me?

Without remembering God’s saving deeds, we can easily forget that we belong to God. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. (Psalm 116)

Without keeping the active memory of God’s saving deeds dear to us, we, like the Pharisees won’t really understand what Jesus means by, I desire mercy, not sacrifice.