Meditation
for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Zech
9:9-10; Rm 8:9, 11-13; Mt 11:25-30)
Against the backdrop that the rulers and influential people
are the outspoken and powerful in society, the prophet Zechariah declares to
Zion, saying, “Behold, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey.” The prophet explains that this King, who would
ride on a young donkey would destroy the chariots from Ephraim and the war
horse from Jerusalem; “He shall command peace to the nations”, and His dominion
shall reach the ends of the earth. Ordinarily, the more aggressive and violent leaders
overthrow the gentle and weak ones.
This principle of exercising power and control has filtered
into our everyday life. Often times, the gentle and humble are perceived as boring
and dull. The aggressive and violent presume they have the right to get whatever
they want. People we commonly project to lead are often those who are forward
and outspoken. Those who are calm and recollective, humble and gentle, do not
gather much clout and friends. In a world that is laden with a competitive
attitude, aggressive and violent people seem to be having a field day. One of
the turbulent storms that is trying to wreck marriages today is power tussle.
The fear of being under authority has become an epidemic among the younger
generation.
The prophecy of Zechariah is fulfilled in Jesus Christ,
which was clearly manifested during his triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Mt
21:1-5). Jesus is the meek and humble King, who came to save us from the
bondage of evil and grant us peace and eternal life. As He humbled Himself,
taking our human form, in Him God has revealed Himself the ‘infants’, i.e. the
humble and lowly in heart. This is the new way God reveals His life and power,
which escapes the wisdom and understanding of wordily minded. Since Jesus is
the Incarnate Wisdom, and the only way to the divine life, He says, “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.”
Therefore, Jesus invites us to come to Him with our labors
and heavy laden and find rest. He says, “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.” Thus, we must model our hearts
after Jesus, bearing His joke of humility. That is the only way we can find
peace in our hearts, homes and society. Aggression and violence will keep us
restless and powerless.
Our response to the divine invitation Jesus offers is made
possible by the working of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. From within, the
Holy Spirit makes available and applies to us the life of Jesus. So, the
strength to bear the joke, and the rest Jesus gives, are animated within us by
the Holy Spirit. St. Paul says in the second reading, “If the Spirit of Him who
raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the
dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through the Spirit who dwells in
you.” Hence, we are debtors, not to the flesh but to the Holy Spirit. We respond
to the invitation of Jesus by opening up our hearts to the promptings of the
Spirit through meditation, prayer and virtuous life. And we must avoid sin,
which tends to cover the light of the Spirit from shining out in us. In this
way, we shall accomplish all our labors, and there shall be no burden too heavy
for us to bear, for, “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me” (Phil
4:13). Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Sunday July 9th, 2023.
12th Anniversary of my Ordination
