Deacon Matt's Reflection

Reflection for 14th Sunday in  Ordinary Time: July 9, 2023

Zechariah 9:9-10: This exciting  passage fills us with great wonder. Centuries before Jesus is born, it  predicts the arrival of the King of Peace. Noteworthy, is its foreshadowing Jesus’ triumphant arrival in      Jerusalem, on Palm Sunday; riding humbly on a donkey. This image of the Messiah’s arrival on a “humble beast of burden,” rather than on a war horse or in a war chariot contrasted with many peoples’       expectations of a “warring” or “military Messiah;” who would, by use of force, liberate Israel from its captors.  When you read the Gospel accounts of Palm Sunday, notice that the evangelists recognize Jesus as embodying the fulfillment of this prophecy. Ponder this week, that our God holds our past, present and future in His all-knowing hands! Contemplating that ought to give us peace and serene hope; even as we face the most distressing circumstances!

Psalm 145: “I will praise Your Name, forever, my King and my God.” After reflecting in the first reading on the coming of the Messiah; the King of Peace, it seems fitting that we should sing this hymn. This psalm offers eternal glory, praise, adoration and thanksgiving to our combined God and King. In its second verse, we contemplate some of the virtues of God that we’re expected to emulate in our own lives; namely God’s love, kindness, graciousness, mercy and compassion. Contemplate that we’re also called to love indiscriminately, all others; including those whom we might see as our enemies. Therein, lies one of the many challenges of living the Christian “Way.”

As the later part of this psalm indicates, we’re called to magnify God’s glory and extend God’s Kingdom by sharing the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ, with others.  To summarize, we’re  contemplating with awe God’s eternal faithfulness, love, holiness and saving mercy.

Romans 8:9, 11-13: To complement our first readings, in which we focus on the Presence and essence of God around us; St. Paul prods us to focus on the Presence of the Holy Spirit of God, within us. Paul reminds us that, if we belong to God, (by virtue of our initiation into the Church by Baptism), then God is within us. Consider that by our later participation in Sacraments that invite the Holy Spirit in; (such as Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist); then God, truthfully dwells in us, in a deeply profound mystery! Surely, we’ll understand this, fully, only when we’re in the afterlife. By the tone he’s giving, St. Paul is urging us to modify our behavior and lifestyles to reflect our awareness of God’s Presence both within us and around us. Do our lives witness to the faith we profess? If not, how might we need to change?

Matt 11:25-30: Now, in a very moving, revealing and tender Gospel passage, we experience a clear manifestation of the Presence of God. Jesus shows us something of Himself, as God. Ponder that our all-powerful God is shockingly humble! God reveals Himself most clearly and completely, not to the wise, learned and powerful; but to the child-like, the meek and to humble, unsophisticated people! Our God is attracted to those whom the world may ignore and treat as dispensable and unimportant. Yet, these are the very people who are most receptive and disposed to submit and learn Whom our God is! These are the people, who, in the quiet of their hearts, can listen to God and learn from Him. Are we one of these receptive people? If not, how do we open our minds, hearts and souls?

Reflectively,
Deacon Matt