Homily of Fourteenth Sunday in
Ordinary Time of Year A, 2020
Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalm 145:1-14;
Romans 8:9, 11-13; Matthew 11:25-30
The first reading is Prophet
Zechariah’s prophecy about the coming of Jesus Christ. As we see in the
reading, Zechariah prophesied Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, “See,
your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, a
foal of an ass.” In this prophecy, Zechariah pointed out that Jesus is a king
and just savior. Zechariah went further to explain Jesus’ ministry. He would
banish the chariots, the horse and warrior’s bow; proclaim peace; and his
dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the
earth. Zechariah was prophesying the spiritual battle Jesus would fight, and
the spread of Christianity to every part of the world.
Jesus came to a people who were
burdened and under several yokes. They were under the burden and yoke of the
Roman colonial masters and corrupt officials. The ordinary people were under the
yoke and burden of rules and regulations of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the
Lawyers, the Scribes, and the Chief Priests. The Samaritans (Gentiles) were
under the burden and yoke of rejection from the Jews. Additionally, many people
were also under the burden and yoke of sicknesses and demonic possessions. Very
importantly, the whole world, at that time, was under the burden and yoke of
sin, and in need of salvation. For all these Jesus says, “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.”
Even now, our world is weighed
down by severe burdens and yokes of all kinds. If our political and economic
rulers and leaders act as we read in the first reading: banish “chariot” and
“horses;” that is, stop wars and violence, and “proclaim peace to the nations,”
we will live in a better world. If our political and economic rulers and leaders
follow the footsteps of Jesus, by becoming meek and humble, and works towards
removing various burdens and yokes (hardships) of the people, we will live in a
better world. Therefore, we must not fail to pray for our rulers and leaders,
that they reason wisely and act justly.
Not only that we are weighed down
by all kinds of political, economic and social burdens and yokes, we are, also,
weighed down by all kinds of afflictions. While we are working hard physically,
and struggling to cope with the situations around us, we need spiritual
sustenance. For this reason, Jesus beckons us as he did to the people of his
time, “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.” St. Augustine of Hippo prays, “You [God] have
made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless, until they
can find rest in you.”
St. Paul tells us in the second
reading how important our mortal bodies need the Spirit of Christ. St. Paul
declares, “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…”
Jesus says in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit that gives life, while the
flesh is of no avail.” If we remain only in the flesh, we will end up
badly. Therefore, we all need spiritual sustenance.
Scripture scholars explain that
when Jesus says, “take my yoke,” he means “let’s trade yokes – let me take your
burden from you.” This reminds me of the African pre-currency trading system
called Trade by Barter, whereby people swapped the goods and materials they
needed from one another. Jesus invites us to spiritual trade by barter. Let us
bring to him our burdens and yokes, and swap refreshment and Spirit from him.
Darrell Evans’ song “I’m Trading my Sorrow” also comes to mind:
I'm trading my sorrows I'm trading
my shame
I'm laying them down for the joy
of the Lord.
I'm trading my sickness I'm
trading my pain
I'm laying them down for the joy
of the Lord.
We say
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord.
Amen.
I am pressed but not crushed
Persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed.
I am blessed beyond the curse
For His promise will endure
That His joy's gonna be my
strength.
Though the sorrow may last for
the night
His joy comes with the morning.
Fr. Martin Eke, MSP
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