Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 07-09-17, Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 07-09-17 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

http://www.theworkofgod.org/Devotns/Euchrist/HolyMass/gospels.asp?key=129

Year A - 14th Sunday in ordinary time

I am gentle and humble of Heart
Matthew 11:25-30
25 At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants;
26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus
My wisdom is not to be wasted in the minds of the proud. It is a very delicate, yet powerful gift that I give to the humble, yes to the little ones of my kingdom.

Who can be little but the wise man that follows the words of John the Baptist,“ I must decrease so that the Lord may increase.” And how can you decrease unless you empty yourself of your self-love and your egoism?

I am here to teach you my child. What really matters is not what you think of yourself, but what I think of you.

Your self-opinion is full of pride and arrogance, because you always think of yourself as being better than others. In the spiritual life, no one must claim credit for anything at all. If you really give yourself to me, it will not be you yourself acting and working in my kingdom, it will be I myself acting through you and directing your life and your work for the Glory of God. Therefore you will be deprived of your credit since all credit must be given to the one guiding you. However this is the part that humbles you and makes you little, when you can give all the power, the honor and the glory to the Lord your God and when you deprive yourself of honor and material rewards here, to start making your treasure in heaven.

In order to know me, you must know yourself first. You must understand that you are a sinner and depend totally on my mercy and grace. You must descend into your nothingness in order to perceive the heights of my being. You must see very clearly your own darkness in order to be able to see my light. You must become a nothing so that I can make you something, because when you think you are something I think of you as a nothing.

The spiritual life is like when you are climbing a ladder, the higher you are, the more dangerous will be your fall, and unless you remain humble and let me help you to ascend, you will always remain down.

Come to me accepting that you are heavily burdened, this way I can help you and give you rest. Do not be over confident about your self; choose to work for your salvation with fear and trembling as Saint Paul advises you.

Salvation is not something that you can accomplish by yourself; it is my work for you. So come humbly before me your Lord and Savior, let me work in your life, let me take you by the hand and guide you, let me be your company, until you find your self in my eternal presence.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

[Salvation]

Archdiocese of Washington

Stop Yoking Around – A Homily for the 14th Sunday of the Year

Msgr. Charles Pope • July 8, 2017 •

We in the West live in a place and at a time in which almost every burden of manual labor has been eliminated. Not only that, but creature comforts abound. Everything from air conditioning to hair conditioning, from fast food to high speed internet, from to indoor plumbing to outdoor grilling, from instant computer downloads to instant coffee machines. You don’t even have write letters anymore, just press send and a text or email is delivered nearly instantaneously. Yet despite all this it would seem that we still keenly experience life’s burdens, demonstrated by the widespread recourse to psychotherapy and psychotropic drugs.

It is increasingly clear that serenity is “an inside job.” Merely improving the outside and amassing creature comforts is not enough. A large fluffy pillow may cushion the body, but apparently not the soul.

Jesus wants us to work on the inside and presents us a teaching in today’s Gospel on being increasingly freed of our burdens. He doesn’t promise a trouble free life, but that if we will let Him go to work we can grow in freedom and serenity. Jesus gives a threefold teaching on how to do this: by filiation, imitation, and simplification.

I. Filiation – 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 little ones. 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.”

Note how Jesus contrasts the “wise and learned” from the “little ones.” In so doing, Jesus commends to us a childlike simplicity before our heavenly Father, our Abba, our “Daddy-God.” This is the experience of divine filiation, of being a child of God, of being one of God’s “little ones.” The wise, learned, and clever often miss what God is trying to do and say, and because of this, they feel anxious and stressed.

It is possible for a person to study a great deal, but if he doesn’t pray he isn’t going to get very far. The Greek word translated here as “revealed” is ἀπεκάλυψας (apekalupsas), which more literally means “to unveil.” Only God can take away the veil and He does so for the humble and simple. Thus Jesus commends to our understanding the need for childlike simplicity and prayerful humility.

Half of our problem in life, and the overwhelming cause of our stress, is that we think too much and pray too little. We have big brains but small hearts, and so we struggle to understand God instead of just trusting Him. Though our reason is our crowning glory, we must never forget how to be little children in the presence of God our Father. No matter how much we think we know, it isn’t really very much. Jesus’ first teaching is filiation, of embracing a childlike simplicity before our Daddy-God.

What does it mean to be childlike? Consider how little children are humble. They are always asking “Why?” and are unashamed to admit that they do not know. Children are also filled with wonder and awe; they are fascinated by the littlest and biggest of things. They know they depend on their parents and run to them instinctively when they’ve been hurt or at any sign of trouble. They trust their parents completely. Children are always asking, seeking, and knocking.

Thus Jesus teaches us that the first step to lessening our burdens is to have a childlike simplicity with the Father, wherein we are humble before him, acknowledging our need for Him and complete dependence upon Him. He teaches us to have a simplicity that is humble enough to admit that we don’t know much and want to learn from Him, a wonder and awe at all that God has done, and an instinct to run to God when we are hurt or in trouble. Above all, Jesus teaches us by this image to grow each day in our trust of Abba, and in our confidence to ask Him for everything we need. Scripture says, You have not because you ask not (James 4:2). An old spiritual says, “I love the Lord; he heard my cry; and pitied every groan. Long as I live and troubles rise; I’ll hasten to his throne.”

Yes, run, with childlike simplicity and trust.

So here is the first teaching of Jesus on letting go of our burdens: grow in childlike simplicity and trust before God, your loving Father and Abba.

II. Imitation – “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest … for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” Jesus commends to us two characteristics of Himself that (if we embrace them) will give us rest and relief from our burdens. He says that He is meek and humble of heart.

What does it mean to be meek? The Greek word used is πραΰς (praus), but there is some debate as to how it is best interpreted. Aristotle defined “praotes” (meekness) as the middle ground between too much anger and not enough. Hence, the meek are those who have authority over their anger.

However, many biblical scholars contend that Jesus used this word most often as a synonym for being “poor in spirit.” What does it mean to be poor in spirit? It means to be humble and dependent upon God. By extension, it means that our treasure is not here. We are poor to this world; our treasure is with God and the things waiting for us in Heaven. This is a source of serenity for us, for when we become poor to this world, when we become less obsessed with success, power, and possessions, many of our anxieties go away. To the poor in spirit, the wealth of this world is as nothing. You can’t steal from a man who has nothing. A poor man is less anxious because he has less to lose, less at stake. He is free from this world’s obsessions and the fears and burdens they generate. Jesus calls us to accept his example and to grow in our experience of being poor in spirit.

Jesus also says that He is humble of heart. The Greek word use is ταπεινός (tapeinos), meaning lowly or humble, and referring to one who depends upon the Lord rather than himself. We have already discussed this at length above, but simply note here that the Lord Jesus is inviting us to learn this from Him and to receive it as a gift. The Lord can do this for us. If we will learn it from Him and receive it, so many of our burdens and so much of our anxiety will be lifted.

Here, then, is the second teaching Jesus offers us so that we will see life’s burdens lessened. He teaches us to learn from Him and to receive from Him the gifts of being poor in spirit and humble of heart. The serenity that comes from embracing these grows with each day, for we are no longer bound by the shackles of this world. It cannot intimidate us because its wealth and power do not entice us; we do not fear their loss. We learn to trust that God will see us through and provide us with what we need.

III. Simplification – Take my yoke upon you … For my yoke is easy, and my burden light. The most important word in this sentence is this one: “my.” Jesus says, my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

What is a yoke? Essentially “yoke” is used here as a symbol for the cross. A yoke is a wooden truss that makes it easier to carry a heavy load by distributing the weight along a wider part of the body, or by allowing the weight to be shared by two or more people or animals. In the picture at left, the woman is able to carry the water more easily with the weight across her shoulders rather than in the narrow section of her hands. This eases the load by involving the whole body more evenly. Yokes are also used to join two animals and help them work together in pulling a load.

What is Jesus saying? First, He is saying that He has a yoke for us, that is, He has a cross for us. He is not saying that there is no burden in following Him. There is a cross that He allows, for a reason and for a season.

Easy? Jesus says that the cross He has for us is “easy.” The Greek word χρηστὸς (chrestos) is better translated as “well-fitting,” “suitable,” or even “useful.” The Lord is saying that the yoke He has for us is suited to us; it is well-fitting; it has been carefully chosen so as to be useful for us. God knows that we need some crosses in order to grow and He knows what they are. He also knows what we can bear and what we are ready for. Yes, His yoke for us is well-fitting.

Note again that little word: “my.” The cross or yoke Jesus has for us is well-suited and useful for us. The problem comes when we start adding things of our own doing to the weight. We put weight upon our shoulders that God never put there and did not intend for us. We make decisions without asking God. We undertake projects, launch careers, accept promotions, and even enter marriages without ever discerning if God wants this for us. Sure enough, before long our life is complicated and burdensome; we feel pulled in many different directions. But this is not the “my yoke” to which Jesus referred; this is largely the yoke of our own making. Of course it is not easy or well-fitting; Jesus didn’t make it.

Don’t blame God, simplify. Be very careful before accepting commitments and making big decisions. Ask God. It may be a good thing, but not good for you. It may help others, but destroy you. Seek the Lord’s will. Ask advice from a spiritually mature person if necessary. Consider your state in life; consider the tradeoffs. Balance the call to be generous with the call to proper stewardship of your time, talent, and treasure. Have proper priorities. It is amazing how many people put their career before their vocation. They accept promotions and special assignments, thinking more about money and advancement than their spouse and children. Sure enough, the burdens increase and the load gets heavy. This is what happens when we don’t ask God or even consider how a proposed course of action might affect the most precious and important things in our lives.

So stop “yoking around.” Jesus’ final advice to us is to “take my yoke,” but only that. Forsake all others. Simplify. Take only His yoke. If you do that, your burdens will be lighter. Jesus tells us to come and learn from Him. He will not put heavy burdens on us. He will set our heart on fire with love. And then, whatever yoke He does have for us will be a pleasure for us to bear. What makes the difference is love. Love lightens every load.

[Salvation]

Video

[Salvation]

Sunday Gospel Reflections

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Zechariah 9:9-10 II: Romans 8:9,11-13

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Gospel
Matthew 11:25-30

²⁵ At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes;
²⁶ yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
²⁷ All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

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Interesting Details

• In the midst of a section largely devoted to the rejection of Jesus and his message (Mt 11-13), this passage contains three revelations:
  - praise and thanksgiving to God for having revealed to the infants (vv.25-26),
  - a declaration about Jesus' special relationship to the Father (v.27), and
  - an invitation to share Jesus' wisdom teaching (vv.28-30).
• (v.25) "The wise and understanding" refers to scribes and Pharisees who reject Jesus. In most Jewish writings of the time the recipients of divine revelations are wise and understanding. What God has hidden from them is the significance of Jesus' mighty deeds and the presence of God's kingdom in his ministry.
• (v.25) "The infants" refers to the disciples, simple and uneducated, who hear Jesus and perceive his significance despite their lack of social standing and expertise in religious matters.
• (v.27) Jesus asserts that God has granted him the revelation of himself as completely as a father discloses himself to a son. The revelation between God and Jesus is so close that the only adequate terms for it are Father and Son. Therefore, only Jesus can pass on to others the real knowledge and wisdom of God.
• (vv.28-30) Jesus expresses his invitation to discipleship in terms used in Sir 51:23-27. Using the traditional image of the law as a "yoke," Jesus, the authoritative interpreter of the law, promises refreshment and rest in his wisdom school. The burden is the Pharisees' approach to wisdom, the light burden is Jesus' teaching.

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One Main Point

Acceptance of Jesus' message depends upon the Father's revelation, but this is granted to those who are open to receive, and refused to the arrogant.

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Reflections

1. Do I always act solely based on my knowledge, or do I let my heart direct me in a meek and humble way? What type of person am I?
2. What makes the relationship between the Father and the Son Jesus so close? How close is my relationship with God? How can I improve this relationship?
3. Jesus' law and teaching is easy and light "my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." What are the heavy burdens I am carrying? My job, my study, my family, my finance, my ambition...? Are they necessary? How can I make them lighter? How can He make them lighter?

[Salvation]

'Priests who fall into sin lose light, and lose also the fear of God. Behold, the Lord himself assures us of this. If I be a master, where is My fear, saith the Lord of Hosts, to you, O Priests, that despise My name? St. Bernard says that priests falling from on high remain so immersed in their malice, that they forget God, and disregard the divine threats to such a degree that the danger of their damnation has no longer any terror for them. . .

What chastisement does not the priest deserve who, instead of carrying with him to the altar flames of divine charity, brings the fetid fire of unchaste love! Speaking of the punishment inflicted on the sons of Aaron for having offered strange fire, St. Peter Damian says: "Let us take care not to mingle unholy fire, that is, the flames of lust with the salutary sacrifices."! Whosoever, adds the saint, shall dare to carry the flame of lust to the altar, shall certainly be consumed by the fire of God's vengeance. . .

Oh! what an impious treason. Behold how Jesus Christ complains, by the mouth of David, of the sacrilegious priest: For if My enemy had reviled Me would verily have borne with it, . . . but thou, a man of one mind, and My familiar, who didst take sweetmeats together with Me? Behold an exact description of a priest who offers Mass in the state of sin. If my enemy, said the Lord, had insulted me, I would have borne the offence with less pain; but you whom I have made my familiar, my minister, a prince among my people, to whom I have so often given my flesh for food you have sold me to the devil for the indulgence of passion, for a beastly gratification, for a little earth. Of this sacrilegious treason the Lord complained to St. Bridget: "Such priests," he said, "are not my priests, but real traitors; for, like Judas, they sell and betray me." St. Bernardine of Sienna teaches that such priests are even worse than Judas; because Judas betrayed the Saviour to the Jews, but they deliver him up to devils by receiving him into their sacrilegious breasts, which are ruled by devils.'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

[Salvation]

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:  And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.  Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.  Hail Mary . . .  And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.  Hail Mary . . .  Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.  Let us pray:  Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.  "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)   "Blessed are you among women,  and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Lk 1:42).

[Salvation]

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions

Fr. Don Miller, OFM

Image: Stained glass window of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and companions | The Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception | photo by hugo poon

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions

Saint of the Day for July 9

(d. 1648 – 1930)

 

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions’ Story

Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China’s relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly.

The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven of them were born in China, and were children, parents, catechists, or laborers, ranging in age from nine years to 72. This group includes four Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or women religious, especially from the Order of Preachers, the Paris Foreign Mission Society, the Friars Minor, Society of Jesus, Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.

Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism, Augustine was ordained as a diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815.

Beatified in groups at various times, these 120 martyrs were canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000.

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Reflection

The People’s Republic of China and the Roman Catholic Church each have well over a billion members, but there are only about 12 million Catholics in China. The reasons for that are better explained by historical conflicts than by a wholesale rejection of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Chinese-born martyrs honored by today’s feast were regarded by their persecutors as dangerous because they were considered allies of enemy, Catholic countries. The martyrs born outside China often tried to distance themselves from European political struggles relating to China, but their persecutors saw them as Westerners and therefore, by definition, anti-Chinese.

The Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to benefit all peoples; today’s martyrs knew that. May 21st-century Christians live in such a way that Chinese women and men will be attracted to hear that Good News and embrace it.

[Salvation]

St. Augustine Zhao Rong and 119 companions, martyrs in China

[Salvation]

Information: St. Veronica Giuliani

Feast Day: July 9

Born: 1660, Mercatello in the Duchy of Urbino

Died: 9 July 1727, Città di Castello

Canonized: 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI

Major Shrine: Monastery of St. Veronica Giuliani, Città di Castello

[Salvation]

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

The Martyrs of Orange

Feast Day: July 09
Born/Died: Eighteenth century

During the French Revolution, thirty-two nuns were put in prison at Orange in France. These sisters were from different religious orders. There were sixteen Ursuline sisters, thirteen Sisters Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament, two Bernardine sisters and one Benedictine sister.

These nuns were told that they had to take an oath of loyalty to the leaders of the French Revolution. The sisters who knew and believed that the oath was against God and the Church refused to sign it. They were immediately taken to the Orange jail.

Some of the sisters knew each other, while others did not. In the prison, the nuns got together and formed a community in that dark, damp room. They prayed together at particular times during the day. They cheered up and comforted each other and formed strong bonds, as the early persecuted Christian Church had.

On July 6, the first sister was taken to trial and condemned to the guillotine. She never returned. Every day another sister, some days two sisters, were taken to be killed. No one knew who would be next. The group became smaller and smaller, but the remaining sisters prayed especially for those who would die that day. Then they would sing a hymn of praise to God called the Te Deum.

By the end of July, 1794, thirty-two sisters had been sentenced to death by the people's court at Orange, France and died as martyrs for their faith in Jesus. When the French Revolution was over, the judges of Orange were found guilty and punished for what they had done.

The thirty-two sisters called the martyrs of Orange were declared "blessed" by Pope Pius XI in 1925.

Reflection: In times of difficulty, how am I able to both give and receive support within my faith community?

[Salvation]

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Sunday, July 9

Liturgical Color: Green

Today the Church honors St.
Denis, bishop and martyr. He
became the first bishop of Paris,
converting many to the Church.
This angered local officials and
led to his beheading in 250 A.D.

[annalex]

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 11
25.	At that time Jesus answered and said: I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little ones.	In illo tempore respondens Jesus dixit : Confiteor tibi, Pater, Domine cæli et terræ, quia abscondisti hæc a sapientibus, et prudentibus, et revelasti ea parvulis.	εν εκεινω τω καιρω αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν εξομολογουμαι σοι πατερ κυριε του ουρανου και της γης οτι απεκρυψας ταυτα απο σοφων και συνετων και απεκαλυψας αυτα νηπιοις
26.	Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in thy sight.	Ita Pater : quoniam sic fuit placitum ante te.	ναι ο πατηρ οτι ουτως εγενετο ευδοκια εμπροσθεν σου
27.	All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.	Omnia mihi tradita sunt a Patre meo. Et nemo novit Filium, nisi Pater : neque Patrem quis novit, nisi Filius, et cui voluerit Filius revelare.	παντα μοι παρεδοθη υπο του πατρος μου και ουδεις επιγινωσκει τον υιον ει μη ο πατηρ ουδε τον πατερα τις επιγινωσκει ει μη ο υιος και ω εαν βουληται ο υιος αποκαλυψαι
28.	Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.	Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis, et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos.	δευτε προς με παντες οι κοπιωντες και πεφορτισμενοι καγω αναπαυσω υμας
29.	Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.	Tollite jugum meum super vos, et discite a me, quia mitis sum, et humilis corde : et invenietis requiem animabus vestris.	αρατε τον ζυγον μου εφ υμας και μαθετε απ εμου οτι πραος ειμι και ταπεινος τη καρδια και ευρησετε αναπαυσιν ταις ψυχαις υμων
30.	For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.	Jugum enim meum suave est, et onus meum leve.	ο γαρ ζυγος μου χρηστος και το φορτιον μου ελαφρον εστιν

[annalex]

25. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes.
26. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in your sight.

GLOSS: Because the Lord knew that many would doubt respecting the foregoing matter, namely, that the Jews would not receive Christ whom the Gentile world has so willingly received, He here makes answer to their thoughts; And Jesus answered and said, I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.

GLOSS: That is, Who makes heaven, or leaves in earthliness, whom you will. Or literally,

AUG; If Christ, from whom all sin is far, said, I confess, confession is not proper for the sinner only, but sometimes also for him that gives thanks. We may confess either by praising God, or by accusing ourselves. When He said, I confess to you, it is, I praise you, not I accuse Myself.

JEROME; Let those hear who falsely argue, that the Savior was not born but created, how He calls His Father Lord of heaven and earth. For if He be a creature, and the creature can call its Maker Father, it was surely foolish here to address Him as Lord of heaven and earth, and not of Him (Christ) likewise. He gives thanks that His coming has opened to the Apostles sacraments, which the Scribes are Pharisees knew not, who seemed to themselves wise, and understanding in their own eyes; That you have hid these things from the wise and understanding and have revealed them to babes.

AUG; That the wise and understanding are to be taken as the proud, Himself opens to us when He says, and have revealed them to babes; for who are babes but the humble?

GREG; He says not 'to the foolish', but to babes, showing that He condemns pride, not understanding.

CHRYS; Or when He says, The wise, He does not speak of true wisdom, but of that which the Scribes and Pharisees seemed to have by their speech. Wherefore He said not, 'And have revealed them to the foolish', but, to babes, that is, uneducated, or simple; teaching us in all things to keep ourselves from pride, and to seek humility.

HILARY; The hidden things of heavenly words and their power are hid from the wise, and revealed to the babes; babes, that is, in malice, not in understanding; hid from the wise because of their presumption of their own wisdom, not because of their wisdom.

CHRYS; That it is revealed to the one is matter of joy, that it is hid from the other not of joy, but of sorrow; He does not therefore joy on this account but He joys that these have known what the wise have nor known.

HILARY; The justice of this the Lord confirms by the sentence of the Father's will, that they who disdain to be made babes in God, should become fools in their own wisdom; and therefore He adds, Even so, Father: for so it seemed good before you.

GREG; In which words we have a lesson of humility, that we should not rashly presume to discuss the counsels of heaven concerning the calling of home and the rejection of others; showing that that cannot be unrighteous which is willed by Him that is righteous.

JEROME; In these words moreover He speaks to the Father with the desire of one petitioning, that His mercy begun in the Apostles might be completed in them.

CHRYS; These things which the Lord spoke to His disciples, made them more zealous. As afterwards they thought great things of themselves, because they cast out demons, therefore He here reproves them; for what they had, was by revelation, not by their own efforts. The Scribes who esteemed themselves wise and understanding were excluded because of their pride, and therefore He says, Since on this account the mysteries of God were hid from them, fear you, and abide as babes, for this it is that has made you partakers in the revelation. But as when Paul says, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, he does not mean that God did this, but they who gave Him cause, so here, You have hid these things from the wise and understanding. And wherefore were they hid from them? Hear Paul speaking, Seeking to set up their own righteousness, they were not subject to the righteousness of God.

27. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

CHRYS; Because He had said, I confess to you, Father, because you have hid these things from the wise, that you should not suppose that He thus thanks the Father as though He Himself was excluded from this power, He adds, All things are committed to me by my Father. Hearing the words are committed, do not admit suspicion of any thing human, for He uses this word that you may not think there be two gods unbegotten. For at the time that He was begotten He was Lord of all.

JEROME; For if we conceive of this thing according to our weakness, when he who received begins to have, he who gives begins to be without. Or when He says, All things are committed to him, He may mean not the heaven and earth and the elements, and the rest of the things which He created and made, but those who through the Son have access to the Father.

HILARY; (that we may not think that there is any thing less in Him than in God, therefore He says this.

AUG; For if He has anything less in His power than the Father has, then all that the Father has, are not His; for by begetting Him Father gave power to the Son, as by begetting Him He gave all things which He has in His substance to Him whom He begot of His substance.

HILARY; And also in the mutual knowledge between the Father and the Son, He teaches us that there is nothing in the Son beyond what was in the Father; for it follows, And none knows the Son but the Father, nor does any man know the Father, but the Son.

CHRYS; By this that He only knows the Father, He show covertly that He is of one substance with the Father. As though He had said, What wonder if I be Lord of all, when I have somewhat hat yet greater, namely to know the Father and to be of the same substance with Him?

HILARY; For this mutual knowledge proclaims that they are of one substance since He that should know the Son, should know the Father also in the Son, since all things were delivered to Him by the Father.

CHRYS; When He says, Neither does any know the Father but the Son, He does not mean that all men are altogether ignorant of Him; but that none knows Him with that knowledge wherewith He knows Him; which may also be said of the Son. For it is not said of some unknown God as Marcion declares.

AUG; And because their substance is inseparable, it is enough sometimes to name the Father, sometimes the Son; nor is it possible to separate from either His Spirit who is especially called the Spirit of truth.

JEROME; Let the heretic Eunomius therefore blush here at who claims to himself such a knowledge of the Father and the Son, as they have one of another. But if he argues from what follows, and props up his madness by that, And he to whom the Son will reveal him, it is one thing to know what you know by equality with God, another to know it by His vouchsafing to reveal it.

AUG; The Father; is revealed by the Son, that is, by His Word. For if the temporal and transitory word which we utter both shows itself, and what we wish to convey, how much more the Word of God by which all things were made, which so shows the Father as He is Father, because itself is the same and in the same manner as the Father.

ID; When if He said, None knows the Son but the Father. He did not add, and he to whom the Father will reveal the Son. But when He said, None knows the Father but the Son, He added, And, he to whom the Son will reveal him. But this must not be so understood as though the Son could be known by none but by the Father only; while the Father may be known not only by the Son, but also by those to whom the Son shall reveal Him. But it is rather expressed thus, that we may understand that both the Father and the Son Himself are revealed by the Son, inasmuch as He is the light of our mind; and what is afterwards added, And he to whom the Son will reveal, is to be understood as spoken of the Son as well as the Father, and to refer to the whole of what had been said. For the Father declares Himself by His Word, but the Word declares not only that which is intended to be declared by it, but in declaring this declares itself.

CHRYS; If then He reveals the Father, He reveals Himself also. But the one he omits as a thing manifest, but mentions the other because there might be a doubt concerning it. Herein also He instructs us that He is so one with the Father, that it is not possible for any to come to the Father, but through the Son. For this had above all things given offense, that He seemed to be against God, and therefore He strove by all means to overthrow this notion.

28. Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.
30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

CHRYS; By what He had said, He brought His disciples to have a desire towards Him, showing them His unspeakable excellence; and now He invites them to Him, saying, Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden.

AUG; Whence do we all thus labor, but that we are mortal men, bearing vessels of clay which cause us much difficulty. But if the vessels of flesh are straitened, the regions of love will be enlarged. To what end then does He say, Come to me, all you who labor, but that you should not labor?

HILARY; He calls to Him those that were laboring under the hardships of the Law, and those who are burdened with the sins of this world.

JEROME; That the burden of sin is heavy, the Prophet Zachariah bears witness, saying, that wickedness sits upon a talent of lead. And the Psalmist fills it up, your iniquities are grown heavy upon me.

GREG; For a cruel yoke and hard weight of servitude it is to be subject to the things of time, to be ambitious of the things of earth, to cling to falling things, to seek to stand in things that stand not, to desire things that pass away, but to be unwilling to pass away with them. For while all things fly away against our wish, those things which had first harassed the mind in desire of gaining them, now oppress it with fear of losing them.

CHRYS; He said not, Come you, this man and that man, but all whosoever are in trouble, in sorrow, or in sin, not that I may exact punishment of you, but that I may remit your sins. Come you, not that I have need of your glory, but that I seek your salvation. And I will refresh you. Not, I will save you, only; but that is much greater, I will then refresh you, that is, I will set you in all quietness.

RABAN; I will not only take from you your burden, but will satisfy you with inward refreshment.

REMIG; Come, He says not with the feet, but with the life, not in the body, but in faith. For that is a spiritual approach by which any man approaches God; and therefore it follows, Take my yoke upon you.

RABAN; The yoke of Christ is Christ's Gospel which joins and yokes together Jews and Gentiles in the unity of the faith. This we are commanded to take upon us that is, to have in honor; lest perchance setting it beneath us, that is wrongly despising it, we should trample upon it with the miry feet of unholiness; wherefore He adds, learn of me.

AUG; Not to create a world, or to do miracles in that world; but that I am meek and lowly in heart. Would you be great? Begin with the least. Would you build up a mighty fabric of greatness? First think of the foundation of humility; for the mightier building any seek to raise, the deeper let him dig for his foundation. Whither is the summit of our building to rise? To the sight of God.

RABAN; We must learn then from our Savior to be meek in temper, and lowly in mind; let us hurt none, let us despise none, and the virtues which we have strewn in deed let us retain in our heart.

CHRYS; And therefore in beginning the Divine Law He begins with humility, and sets before us a great reward, saying, And you shall find rest for your souls. This is the highest reward, you shall not only be made useful to others, but shall make yourself to have peace; and He gives you the promise of it before it comes, but when it is come, you shall rejoice in perpetual rest. And that they might not be afraid because He had spoken of a burden, therefore He adds, For my yoke is pleasant, and my burden light.

HILARY; He holds forth the inducements of a pleasant yoke, and a light burden, that to them that believe He may afford the knowledge of that good which He alone knows in the Father.

GREG; What burden is it to put upon the neck of our mind that He bids us shun all desire that disturbs, and turn from the toilsome paths of this world?

HILARY; And what is more pleasant than that yoke, what lighter than that burden? To be made better, to abstain from wickedness, to choose the good, and refuse the evil, to love all men, to hate none, to gain eternal things, not to be taken with things present, to be unwilling to do that to another which yourself would be pained to suffer.

RABAN; But how is Christ's yoke pleasant, seeing it was said man above, Narrow is the way which leads to life? That which yoke is entered upon by a narrow entrance is in process of time made broad by the unspeakable sweetness of love.

AUG; So then the they who with an unfearing neck have submitted to the yoke of the Lord endure such hardships and dangers, that they seem beneath to be called not from labor to rest, but from rest to labor. But the Holy Spirit was there who, as the outward man decayed, renewed the inward man day by day, and giving a foretaste of spiritual rest in the rich pleasures of God in the hope of blessedness to come, smoothed all that seemed rough, lightened all that was heavy. Men suffer amputations and burning, that at the price of sharper pain they may be delivered from torments less but more lasting, as boils or swellings. What storms and dangers will not merchants undergo that they may acquire perishing riches? Even those who love not riches endure the same hardships; but those that love them endure the same, but to them they are not hardships. For love makes right easy, and almost nothing all things however dreadful and monstrous. How much more easily then does love do that for true happiness, which avarice does for misery as far as it can?

JEROME; And how is the Gospel lighter than the Law, seeing in the Law murder and adultery, but under the Gospel anger and concupiscence also, are punished? Because by the Law many things are commanded which the Apostle fully teaches us cannot be fulfilled; by the Law works are required, by the Gospel the will is sought for, which even if it goes not into act, yet does not lose its reward. The Gospel commands what we can do, as that we lust not; this is in our own power; the Law punishes not the will but the act, as adultery Suppose a virgin to have been violated in time of persecution, as here was not the will she is held as a virgin under the Gospel; under the Law she is cast out as defiled.

Catena Aurea Matthew 11

[annalex]

Jan Sanders van Hemessen

Christ Carrying the Cross

1553
Oil on wood, 111 x 97,5 cm
Christian Museum, Esztergom

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: July 9th

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

July 09, 2017 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who in the abasement of your Son have raised up a fallen world, fill your faithful with holy joy, for on those you have rescued from slavery to sin you bestow eternal gladness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Recipes (1)

• Strawberry Cake

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Activities (1)

• Your Child's Spiritual Training

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Prayers (2)

• Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life
• Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Ordinary Time (2nd Plan)

  Old Calendar: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

  "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 little ones. 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" (Matt 11:25-27).

  Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

  The feast of Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, which is ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

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  Sunday Readings
  The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Zechariah 9:9-10 and indicates that the humility asked for by Jesus is the kind that he himself endured, for he came in meekness and without pageantry, yet his dominion would be to the ends of the earth. The example of the humble servant is the very person of Jesus himself who invites us in the second part of the gospel to come to Him for refreshment and rest. — A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin

  The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:9, 11-13 and contains one of the most important yet often misunderstood themes of St. Paul. The hellenistic dichotomy between the lower and higher nature is not found here, for flesh and spirit mean the whole man and the whole man stands in need of redemption by Christ. The Pauline teaching is not that part of man is redeemed and part of him is damnable. Rather man's whole personality is redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ. The vocation of the Christian, both "body" and "soul," is to conform his already redeemed person to the same Spirit he has already received at baptism. — A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin

  The Gospel is from St. Matthew 11:25-30. Pagans and Jews had the same hardships of life to face as we have, and even greater ones. They earned their daily bread with the sweat of brow and body. Their illnesses were more frequent and less bearable than ours, for they had not the medical helps that we have. Death came to young and old then as it does now, but for them it was a final parting from loved ones, and no hope of a future happy meeting served to lighten their sorrow. All their crosses were crushing weights, sent to make life more miserable. Life on earth was passed in gloom and darkness and there was no shining star in the heavens to beckon them on or give them hope.

  Surely God is good to us, to put us into this world at this day and age, and give us the light of faith, and the knowledge of God and of His loving plans for us, which make the burdens of this life so relatively light and even so reasonable for us. We still have to earn our bread. We still have sickness and pains. We still have death stalking the earth, but unlike the people before Christ we now see a meaning to all these trials.

  The yoke of Christ is not really a yoke but a bond of love, which joins us to Him, and through Him, to our loving Father in heaven. The rule of life which He asks us to keep, if we are loyal followers of His, is not a series of prohibitions and don'ts. It is rather a succession of sign-posts on the straight road to heaven, making our journey easier and safer. He does ask us to carry our cross daily, that is, to bear the burden of each day's duty, but once the cross is grasped firmly and lovingly it ceases to be a burden.

  Ours is a world which is in an all-out search for new idols. It is a world which has left the path marked out by Christ, and forgotten or tried to forget, that man's life does not end with death. To be a Christian and to have the light of faith to guide our steps in this neo-pagan darkness, is surely a gift, and a blessing from God, for which we can never thank Him enough. Thank you, God, for this gift. Please give us the grace and the courage to live up to it and to die in the certainty that we shall hear, as we shut our eyes on the light of this world, the consoling words, "come you blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you."

  Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 11:25-30

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

You have revealed them to little ones. (Matthew 11:25)

Life is an adventure for little children. Give a young boy a toy fire engine, and he’ll spend hours putting out a giant fire. Give a young girl a doll, and she’ll treat it as her own child. Children are also imaginative. Give them the box from a large appliance, and they’ll quickly turn it into a rocket ship, a sports car, or a house. Children also keep things simple. They believe everything their parents tell them. They make friends almost immediately. They give affection freely and without suspicion.

We adults, on the other hand, ask far too many questions. We like to think things through. We weigh the pros and cons of a decision carefully and examine every angle. While that’s generally a good thing, too much examination can become a hindrance. This is especially true when it comes to issues of faith. That’s why Jesus encourages us to be “little ones” (Matthew 11:25).

Following Jesus should be simple and adventurous as well. For instance, we might try using our imagination in prayer by picturing ourselves in biblical times. We can imagine Jesus as he multiplies the loaves or walks on water. We can cross the Red Sea and journey to the Promised Land with the Israelites. We can place ourselves on the battlefield and witness David slaying the mighty Goliath. Using our imagination this way, we can imitate an inquisitive child and ask all manner of questions: “How can Jesus be everywhere at the same time? What does an angel look like?”

Don’t settle for the same old routine! Be bold, and launch yourself on a new adventure. Try this experiment when you’re at Mass today. During the Eucharistic prayer, ask Jesus to take you to the upper room with him. Watch as he celebrates the very first Eucharist with his apostles. What does the scene look like? What is Jesus saying to you?

Go ahead and dare to be a child again.

“Here I am, Jesus, ready for a new adventure with you today.”

Zechariah 9:9-10
Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14
Romans 8:9, 11-13

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

EASY YOKE AND LIGHT BURDEN

(A biblical reflection on the 14^th Ordinary Sunday [Year A], 9 July 2017)

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:25-30

First Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalms: Psalm 145:1-2,8-11,13-14, Second Reading: Romans 8:9,11-13

The Scripture Text

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was Thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30 RSV)

Many of Jesus’ parables are about fishing, farming and herding because those were the three most common occupations in His day. The parable in today’s Gospel reading is aimed at getting the attention of the farmers in Jesus’ audience.

In this parable, Jesus says we should take His yoke upon our shoulders and learn from Him. A yoke, a type of harness a farmer uses to attach a couple of oxen to a plow or a wagon, looks like the McDonald’s golden arches over the shoulders of the two animals. With the yoke attached, the oxen share the burden of pulling the plow or the wagon.

If one of the oxen is old or sickly, the other ox has to work harder. Sometimes the farmer will team a young ox with an older, more experienced ox so the younger one will learn from the older one how to pull the yoke. Until the younger one gets the hang of it the older ox must do most of the work.

When Jesus says we should take His yoke and learn from Him, He is offering to share our burdens with us With Jesus helping us, our burden will be light and easy to pull. Just as the two oxen work side by side, Jesus is willing to walk beside us and help us as we travel through life. We do not have to face life’s problems all by ourselves.

Because our society values independence, most of us want to prove we can succeed on our own. This pride not only drives us further from each other, but it also drives us further from our God. In our obsession to do it by ourselves, we shut out all help from everyone else, even help from Jesus.

Maybe that’s why Jesus praises the Father for taking what was hidden from learned and the clever, and revealing it to the children. The learned and the clever are those who are those who are self-sufficient and less likely to accept Jesus’ help because they’d rather try to succeed on their own. Children, on the other hand, have no problem with being dependent on others. They are accustomed to looking around for assistance and are therefore more likely to turn to Jesus in their moment of need.

(Source: Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A,B, and C.)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess that without You, I am really nothing. I am grateful, however, that You are always present to help me. And,Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. May the Spirit who dwells in You dwell also in me, and lead me to love and trust the Father as You do. Amen.

[Salvation]

Gospel in Pictures

[Salvation]

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for July 9, 2017:

“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.” (Mt 11:25) We are called to praise God in all that we do, but that can be hard in our busy lives. Reflect on […]

[Salvation]

My Yoke is Well-Fitting”

Pastor’s Column

14^th Sunday Ordinary Time

July 9, 2017

 

“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 souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

                                                from Matthew 11:25-30

          This wonderful passage is read every year on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (which was two weeks ago), every three years on Sunday, and usually when a person is given the Anointing of the Sick, often when they are gravely ill.  But what does it mean?

          Jesus begins his talk by praying to the Father; then he talks to his disciples; finally, he, as it were, looks up from the pages of scripture and addresses all of us directly, all of the overburdened, all the sick and gravely ill, all those frantically seeking meaning in their lives, all those chasing after elusive happiness, elusive wealth, or just trying to stay above water!

          The key to this passage is the yoke of Christ.  What is this yoke that Jesus promises his followers? Certainly, Jesus means that we must accept his cross.  The crosses we are given to carry are the yoke of Christ.  We really are not followers of Christ unless we have had a share in the Lord’s cross.  Imagine getting to heaven without having carried one of our own for him in this brief life!  Sharing our Lord’s cross is our dignity as human beings.

          Second, the translation “my yoke is easy” is inaccurate.  A better way of saying this is “my yoke is well-fitting.”  A yoke of Christ’s time would have been hand fitted to each ox, so that it would not hurt the animal; ideally, it would be just right for the task assigned it.  So Jesus is saying that, if we accept HIS yoke, he will make sure that he will give us a task that will fit us.  The crosses we fashion for ourselves, in contrast, are often impossible burdens!

          Third, a yoke of Christ’s time usually had two openings.  Two oxen would pull together.  This scripture is often read when a person is given the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.  Here Jesus means that even if he allows us to carry a burden for him, he will be sharing it with us.  The yoke around your neck is the Lord’s cross and he promises to be in the next yoke, pulling right alongside of you, sharing the cross with you, suffering with you, caring about you, loving you.

          When we know we are loved or when we truly love someone, we can get through just about anything for their sake.  Jesus is appealing to our love for him and telling us how much he in turn loves us.  Once we fully realize this, no burden will be too heavy to carry for Jesus, because we know he is pulling right next to us, and will never leave us.

                                                                                                  Father Gary