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14th Sunday in Ordinary
Time
Reading I:
Zechariah 9:9-10 II:
Romans 8:9,11-13 
Gospel
Matthew 11:25-30
25 At that time Jesus
declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and
understanding and revealed them to babes;
26 yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
27 All things have been delivered to me by my
Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no
one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom
the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light."
Interesting Details
 | In the midst of a section
largely devoted to the rejection of Jesus and his
message (Mt
11-13), this passage
contains three revelations:
- praise and thanksgiving to God for having revealed to
the infants (vv.25-26),
- a declaration about Jesus' special relationship to the
Father (v.27), and
- an invitation to share Jesus' wisdom teaching
(vv.28-30). |
| (v.25) "The wise and
understanding" refers to scribes and Pharisees who
reject Jesus. In most Jewish writings of the time the
recipients of divine revelations are wise and
understanding. What God has hidden from them is the
significance of Jesus' mighty deeds and the presence of
God's kingdom in his ministry. |
| (v.25) "The infants" refers to
the disciples, simple and uneducated, who hear Jesus and
perceive his significance despite their lack of social
standing and expertise in religious matters.
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| (v.27) Jesus asserts that God
has granted him the revelation of himself as completely
as a father discloses himself to a son. The revelation
between God and Jesus is so close that the only adequate
terms for it are Father and Son. Therefore, only Jesus
can pass on to others the real knowledge and wisdom of
God. |
| (vv.28-30) Jesus expresses his
invitation to discipleship in terms used in Sir
51:23-27. Using the traditional image of the law as a
"yoke," Jesus, the authoritative interpreter of the law,
promises refreshment and rest in his wisdom school. The
burden is the Pharisees' approach to wisdom, the light
burden is Jesus' teaching. |
One Main Point
Acceptance of Jesus' message
depends upon the Father's revelation, but this is granted
to those who are open to receive, and refused to the
arrogant.
Reflections
- Do I always act solely based
on my knowledge, or do I let my heart direct me in a
meek and humble way? What type of person am I?
- What makes the relationship
between the Father and the Son Jesus so close? How close
is my relationship with God? How can I improve this
relationship?
- Jesus' law and teaching is
easy and light "my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light." What are the heavy burdens I am carrying? My
job, my study, my family, my finance, my ambition...?
Are they necessary? How can I make them lighter? How can
He make them lighter?
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