“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest”
Reflections on the readings for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 5, 2020): ZEC 9:9-10; PS 145:1-2,8-9,10-11,13-14; ROM 8:9,11-13; MT 11:25-30
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days
It is by embracing the truth about our Lord and ourselves that we are able...
We may not like to think of ourselves as “little ones” but Jesus probably would think of us that way. Not because He is divine and we are not, although that is true. Not because He is the King of the universe and the Savior of the world and the sacrificial Lamb of God who opened the gates of heaven, and we are certainly none of these things. But because we are able to recognize our smallness and His greatness, His goodness and our weakness. It is by embracing the truth about our Lord and ourselves that we are able to welcome and gratefully receive His grace. Christ offers us the gift of eternal life and in turn He asks only one thing from us: love.
In this imperfect world of ours there will always be suffering. But Jesus is always here for us. He is always ready to offer comfort and mercy. However difficult our everyday lives may be, whatever hardships may come our way, we are not alone. He is Himself our law – the law of love. And we are called to respond to His generous mercy by sharing His gifts with others, especially those in need. He wants us to find peace in Him and to offer His compassion to all we meet through our words and actions. “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” (Matthew 11:29-30). At this time when there are so many uncertainties facing the future of our world, we need to trust God and do our best, not only for ourselves and our loved ones, but also for all our neighbors, whether here or halfway around the world.
Suggested missionary action: Let us rely on Christ and ask Him to help us do all the Father asks of us in quiet humility and complete dependence on Him. Let us not fear whatever burdens we need to endure. God may not remove them, but in Him we will always be able to live with a sure and certain hope.
