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Contemplating today's Gospel

Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
1st Reading (Zech 9:9-10): Thus says the Lord: Rejoice heartily, o daughter Zion, shout for joy, o daughter Jerusalem! See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass. He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the warrior’s bow shall be banished, and he shall proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Responsorial Psalm: 144
R/. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
I will extol you, o my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.

Let all your works give you thanks, o Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might.

The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. The Lord lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
2nd Reading (Rom 8:9.11-13): Brothers and sisters: You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. Consequently, brothers and sisters, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Versicle before the Gospel (Cf. Mt 11:25): Alleluia. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom. Alleluia.
Gospel text (Mt 11:25-30): At that time Jesus exclaimed: "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest”

Fr. Antoni POU OSB Monk of Montserrat (Montserrat, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, Jesus shows us two realities that define Him: no one knows the Father except Him, and He is “meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). We can also discover two necessary attitudes to understand and live what Jesus offers us: simplicity and the desire to approach Him.

Wise and learned people often find it difficult to enter into the mystery of God's Kingdom, because they are not open to the novelty of divine revelation; God never ceases to manifest Himself, but they believe that they already know everything and, therefore, God can no longer surprise them. The simple ones, on the other hand, like children at their best, are receptive —they are like a sponge that absorbs water, and they have the capacity for surprise and admiration. There are also exceptions, and there are even experts in human sciences who can be humble in terms of the knowledge of God.

In the Father, Jesus finds his rest, and his peace can be a refuge for all those who have been troubled by life: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). Jesus is humble, and humility is the sister of simplicity. When we learn to be happy through simplicity, then many complications unravel, many needs disappear, and in the end, we can rest. Jesus invites us to follow Him; He does not deceive us: being with Him is to carry His yoke, to assume the demand for love. We will not be spared suffering, but His burden is light. That is, our suffering will not come because of our selfishness; rather, we will suffer only what is necessary —and no more— because of love and with the help of the Spirit. Also, let's not forget, "the tribulations suffered for God are softened by hope" (St. Ephrem).

Thoughts on Today's Gospel

  • “Let us really take the trouble to learn the lesson of holiness from Jesus, whose heart was meek and humble. The first lesson from this heart is an examination of our conscience, and the rest — love and service — follow at once.” (Saint Teresa of Calcutta)

  • “Jesus makes the Father known to us. Who does Jesus reveal the Father to? Only those with the heart of babes are capable of receiving this revelation.” (Francis)

  • “The kingdom belongs to the poor and lowly, which means those who have accepted it with humble hearts (...). Jesus identifies himself with the poor of every kind and makes active love toward them the condition for entering his kingdom.” (Catechism Of The Catholic Church, Nº 544)