July 6, 2014

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Zachariah 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.

தமிழ்

Responsorial Psalm: 145:1-2.8-9.10-11.13-14
Response: I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God. (or) 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. (Response)
   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. (Response) 
   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. (Response)
   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. (Response)

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, 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.

Gospel Reading: 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 the childlike. 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 your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus
   Wise and the learned do search for truth. They search after hidden truths. Most of the times they do not arrive at the truth. They reach somewhere and think that they have arrived. Truth about God and godly things are revealed. They are not arrived at by knowledge and search rather they are totally given in revelation. God has desired it that way. And that is his will.
   God has revealed these things to them to the childlike people. Revelation is not given to the wise and the learned but to the childlike. This is the way that God works. The best of revelation that God has given is the revelation about his own son Jesus (anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him). God communicates with the people only through revelation.