14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Zech 9:9-10; Rom 8:9,11-13; Matt 11:25-30

The three readings of today are linked by one theme – God’s ways are different from human ways. Prepare for the unexpected.

In Zechariah, the expected king comes riding on a donkey, not on a warhorse with trappings of power. This is an upside down world.

In Romans, Paul reminds us that we need to let go of the ultimate  fear – that   of physical death because the Spirit of Christ Risen is within us. We are called ‘to set our mind on the Spirit of light and peace’ ( Rom 8:6).

In Matthew, Jesus points out that it is not the expected ones, the important people of his time  who have accepted him and his preaching but the ‘little ones’, the ordinary people , those who are open to goodness and therefore to the Spirit. The expectation was that the Messiah would be a great powerful leader – but instead, he came on a donkey.

 ‘Take my yoke upon you’ was an invitation of Jesus that I did not understand until I went to Jerusalem.

We were reminded that in the Palestine of Jesus’ day, poor people did not have oxen or donkeys to pull their ploughs. One man alone wasn’t strong enough to pull the plough, so the human yokes were always for two or more people.

When we are invited to take Jesus’ yoke it means he is our partner. Our work, problems, griefs and hardships won’t go away, but he is there along side us – helping to ‘carry the burden’.

The Spirit, his Spirit within us, gives us wisdom and strength.

People with power sometimes forget to use their power for the good of others.

Each of us has an influence on others.

Are we conscious of the Spirit of Jesus
helping us to teach, to preach and to heal?

                                                                             Sr Rose Mary Kinne OP