Cycle A - Year II:  

5 July 2020:  Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Zechariah 9:9-10

Second Reading:   Romans 8:9, 11-13

Gospel:  Please Read  Matthew 11:25-30

"The Lord is our helping hand!"

 So we are told that life on earth is like a journey.  Sometimes the journey is easy but also sometimes it is tough.  And to go through the hardest part of the journey we need to take only one step at a time.  But we must keep on stepping, or moving on.

Challenges are part of our journey through life, in the form of sufferings and trials that at times it seems tempting to just give up.  Some do actually gave up.  But then again life is meant to be a challenge, because these challenges make us grow and strong.  We don't grow when things are easy; we grow when we have gone through challenges and hardships.

Now, Christians are not spared from these challenges and trials. from pains and discomfort they suffer in their attempt to be faithful to the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Sometimes, it would seem like we keep on falling into the same temptations 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, terrorism, high prices of basic commodities, catastrophic natural disasters, wars in some parts of the world, and now the deadly corona virus that affects the whole world.

Sometimes we ask where is God in the world fraught with sufferings and problems, natural and man-made, even in our family, or sectors of our family, torn by disagreement and disunity.  But sadly, it is us who forget about God and does not want Him in our life.  For example, in the fight against the corona pandemic our political leaders do not want to factor in God in finding solution to the deadly virus as public worship is still not allowed.  Do we really expect to win the fight against the deadly virus without God's mercy and intervention?

In reality, God is with us in our journey in this life. It is us who find countless excuses to avoid Him or choose to ignore Him.  

In today's Gospel reading our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that He is our helping hand.  And He insists that we come to Him when our hearts are burdened.  Jesus speaks to us this week through the Gospel of Saint Matthew.  Jesus offers us a way out and encourages us 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)

The truth is that the human heart remains restless, even amidst all satisfaction and comforts that this world has to offer.  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 His sacramental presence in the Holy Eucharist.

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

Ad Jesum per Mariam!