Sunday, July 5, 2020
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgical Color: Green
First reading: Zechariah 9:9–10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:1–2, 8–9, 10–11, 13–14
Second reading: Romans 8:9, 11–13
Gospel: Matthew 11:25–30
The Son of God abased himself in order to raise up this fallen world, rescuing us from slavery to sin and bestowing upon us eternal joy. The humility of God is an amazing divine attribute, one that I personally discovered long ago as I pondered why He would advocate humility to us, his creatures. We must be humble because He is humble.
First Reading
The prophet pictures the King of God’s Chosen People as arriving in their territory riding on a donkey rather than on a horse or chariot. Donkeys were the transportation of the poor — if, indeed, they had even a donkey; only the rich and royalty had horses or chariots.
In addition, this King, whose dominion is vast, will have no army. He needs nothing apart from his own personal might to rule the entire universe. Yet here he is, riding on a donkey like a peasant, reducing himself to our level in order to raise his subjects up to his level.
Second Reading
“Whoever does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” And if his spirit is humble, so also must yours be humble, if you would belong to his Kingdom.
What is humility? The removal of all self-centeredness from one’s awareness and life. Christ avoided fame and adulation. His whole aim was to serve others and offer his life as a sacrifice to God.
Gospel
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” We learn be observing our Master and imitating Him. The “yoke” is composed of the moral precepts He has taught us. Humility and meekness are the hallmarks of this yoke.
What is meekness? Patience in suffering. Christ manifested this especially during his Passion, when he was accused, arrested and imprisoned, demeaned, manhandled, whipped, and finally crucified.
