14TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

Zechariah 9:9-10

Psalm 145

Romans 8:9.11-13

Matthew 11:25-30

A PROMISED REST FOR THE BURDENED 

Today’s readings have a message of hope and consolation for us. In the first reading, the prophet Zechariah invites the people of Jerusalem to rejoice because the Messiah-King is coming to restore them. He is a just Saviour, meek and humble. He is coming to banish anything that serves for war and oppression so as to establish a kingdom of peace.

As we know, this prophecy was realized in Jesus of Nazareth, but not all recognized him. For instance, the Pharisees, the Scribes and the chief priests failed to recognize him as the long awaited Messiah. Thus, Jesus praised the Father for hiding this mystery from the wise and the learned, and yet revealed it to the little ones. For in Jesus, God revealed his saving power to mankind. In him, God himself has come to save and give rest to his people: “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” The “burden” refers to the burden of the Jewish law as contrasted with the “yoke” of Jesus, which is easy to bear.

Today many of us are weighed down by various kinds of burdens. Our burden may be sickness, loss of a loved one, joblessness, or hardships of life, especially in this time of COVID-19. For some, the burden is the family instability, disappointments or betrayals in relationships. For others, the burden may be the weight of their iniquities and past sins. Still for others, the burden may be oppression from evil spirits.

In any case, Jesus wants to be at all times a true source of comfort, consolation, liberation, forgiveness and reconciliation to us. However, he is not inviting us only to find inward refreshment and serenity in him in time of trouble. He invites us also to take upon ourselves his yoke and learn from him. In other words, he invites us to be at his school and learn his humility, kindness, tenderness, compassion, and his obedience to the Father. As St Paul tells us in the second reading, to be in the school of Jesus means also dying to the works of the flesh and living in the Spirit. May the Lord help us to recognize him as our King and Saviour so as to call upon him at all times. Amen