Cycle A - Year 1:  

9 July 2017: Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Gospel:Please Read  Matthew 11:25-30

The Lord is our helping hand!

Life is a journey. And to get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.

In our journey through life, we are faced with challenges, sufferings and trials that at times it seems tempting to just give up. And some actually do give up. But life is meant to be a challenge, because challenges make us grow. We don't grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges.

Christians are not spared from  these challenges and trials, from pains and discomfort they suffer in their attempt to be faithful to Christ's teaching. It seems like we keep falling into the same temptation over and over again. In other words, it is hard and difficult to live authentic Christian life in today's world.

In our daily life, the media overwhelms us with even more challenging and depressing news, like corruption in government, criminality, high prices of basic commodities, catastrophic natural disasters, terrorism in parts of Mindanao, and wars in some parts of the world.

It is not surprising, that sometimes we ask where is Christ in the world fraught with wars and violence, so much sufferings and challenges, even in our own family, or sectors of our family, torn by disagreement and anger?

But in reality, Christ is with us in this journey of life. It is us who find countless reasons to avoid Christ or choose to ignore Him. It is us who deliberately take Christ out of our lives because we do not want to follow His path to avoid the difficult demands of discipleship.

The Good News is that our Lord Jesus Christ insists that we come to Him when our

hearts are burdened. The Lord speaks to us this week through the Gospel of St. Matthew. Jesus offers us a way out. We are encouraged by Christ Himself in the concluding sentences of today's Gospel: 

"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 yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Mt 11:28-30)

For the truth is the human heart remains restless, even amidst all satisfactions and comforts that this world offers. Because true peace and happiness is found in Jesus alone, when we live in Him and for Him. Because God is always our helping hand, and travels with us in this journey through life, in the Holy Eucharist.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!