The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, July 14, 2005
The Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha, virgin

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Exodus 3:13-20
Psalm 105:1, 5, 8-9, 24-27
Matthew 11:28-30

A reflection on today's Scripture. . . .

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me" (Matthew 11:29)

We gain a better understanding of today's Gospel if we see it in the context of the entire chapter which deals with the problem and consequences of unbelief. Jesus answers the question of His identity to the imprisoned John the Baptist by asserting that He is indeed the awaited divine deliverer, evidenced by His miraculous healings. He then explains to His listeners that John was sent to call people to repentance and so open their hearts to receive Christ's good news of love, forgiveness and salvation. We also learn that several towns have rejected Jesus' life-giving words, a new life made possible by their abiding in God's love and truth. Then and today human pride leads to unbelief. Obeying an unseen God and abandoning worldly values and behavior is abhorred by those who refuse to die to selfishness and self-will.

The Gospel becomes clearer if we recall that the Pharisees and Scribes had transformed God's Law based on love into a long list of burdensome, legalistic rules that only the religious professionals living in ease and plenty could fulfill. This fueled their pride, set them apart and above all others. They dismissed any message that varied from their rules by faulting the messenger. Jesus advises us to be humble, gentle of spirit, genuinely imbued with the love of God to be shared with others. He came to unburden humanity of sin and instead share His light yoke of love, the only one worth bearing.

O Almighty Father,
through Your Son and Holy Spirit,
increase the gift of Your life within us,
that its overflow from us may serve to bless others.
Amen

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

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