Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 5, 2020

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 5, 2020

Reflection

The psalms in the Bible is a collection of songs and poetry that were used for ritual purposes. But they are also sung by the Israelites at home because they contain the people's response to God's graces. The people lived God's goodness. Throughout their history, their God has been a gracious God.

The messianic prophecy in Zechariah foretells of this gracious God visiting his people. He does not only hand out graces from a distance. His very presence is the grace that ends all wars and subdues all pain. Zechariah sees a vision of God enveloping the whole of creation with his gentle power.

This gentleness and grace of God became man in Jesus. He embodies the fullness of God, makes concrete God's mercy and meekness. What has been hidden in God, Christ has made known to his disciples. He invites them to draw out from the spring of God's richness in Him.

St. Paul knowing that sin is the cause of death, sees in Jesus the new life of a Christian. The flesh in the mind of Paul has been tarnished by sin. Yet in baptism, Christ supplants this evil by the presence and indwelling of his Spirit. God does not just grace creation from afar, he comes to truly visit his people and dwell within them. By this, the spring of God's life and grace now flows from each Christian, through Jesus, in the Spirit.

First Reading

Zechariah 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

PS 89:2-3, 16-17, 18-19

R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

or:

R. Alleluia.

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.

R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

or:

R. Alleluia.

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.

R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

or:

R. Alleluia.

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.

R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

or:

R.  Alleluia.

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.

R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

or:

R.  Alleluia.

Second Reading

Romans 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.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 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.”