03 July 2011

03 Jul 2011, Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Zec 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.

Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14
Responsorial PsalmR. (cf. 1)


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.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading II
Rom 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 and sisters,
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
Mt 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 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.”

“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.”

Meditation: Romans 8:9,11-13


Meditation: Romans 8:9,11-13
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“If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)

What images come to your mind when you hear the word “holiness”? Do you think of Mother Teresa’s radiant face as she fed the poor and comforted the dying? Or the serenity and composure that seem to mark every portrait of the Virgin Mary that was ever painted? Does conjuring up these images only make you more frustrated, as you see your own failings? Well, don’t worry. Paul teaches us today that holiness does not just settle on special people automatically. It is the result of our cooperation with grace—a cooperation that can be costly.

In today’s second reading, Paul admonishes us to do away with those things in our lives that are opposed to the Lord and his way of life. They could be specific “deeds of the body,” like lying, stealing, or impurity. But, they could also be attitudes of the mind that separate us from the Lord: prejudice, resentments, judgments, and arrogance. Paul promises that as we put these things to death—as we turn away from them and fight their influence in our lives—we will become holy. We can even become saints!

But there’s a catch. Paul urges us to do all this “by the Spirit.” His own experience had taught him that human effort alone could not bring about the holiness he sought. He needed the help that only God could give—and so do we.

So get into the habit of turning to the Holy Spirit during the course of your day. Ask him for his divine power to help you say “no” to sin and “yes” to Christ. Start paying attention to his promptings. He’s always speaking; we just need to learn how to listen—to our consciences, to the Scriptures, to our loved ones, and even to the thoughts that pop into our heads. The Spirit is on your side. He wants to make you holy!

“Come, Holy Spirit, into my heart. Transform my thoughts, intentions, and actions by your grace.”

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalm 145:1-2,8-11,13-14; Romans 8:9,11-13; Matthew 11:25-30)

1. In the first reading, we see the contrast between the Savior who is “meek” and his powerful impact on bringing “peace to the nations.” Can you share an example from your own life where you succeeded by meekness instead of power?

2. In the first reading, the Lord also tells us to “Rejoice heartily” and to “shout for joy.” In the responsorial psalm, the psalmist tells us to praise, extol, and bless the Lord. What are some things the Lord has done in your life that would cause you to do this?

3. In the responsorial psalm, we also read of the Lord who is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness”. With whom might the Lord be asking you to respond in this matter this week?

4. In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul asks us to “put to death the deeds of the body.” You can do this because, “You are not in the flesh; on the contrary you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you” (Romans 8:9). In your life, what “deeds of the body” do you need “to put to death”? How do you think the Lord wants you to do it?

5. In the Gospel, Jesus says that when it comes to revelation, his Father has “hidden these things from the wise and learned,” but he has “revealed them to little ones.” What do you think this means? What specifically can you do this week to open yourself to hear from the Lord in prayer, through Scriptures, or at Mass?

6. Jesus also says in the Gospel that he will make our heavenly Father known to us. In light of the following words of Jesus, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9), what do you think the Father is like?

7. The meditation encourages us to “get into the habit of turning to the Holy Spirit during the course of your day. Ask him for his divine power to help you say ‘no’ to sin and ‘yes’ to Christ.” How often do you do this? What steps can you take to make this a regular part of your day?

8. Take some time now to pray for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit and ask Him to transform you more and more into the likeness of Jesus. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

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