Commentary: 14 OT A

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, A

Zechariah 9: 9-10

Psalm 145

Romans 8: 9, 11-13

Matthew 11: 25-30



The connection of the readings is in the humility of God’s Messiah. The First Reading is a song of praise from the book of the prophet Zechariah, often associated with Passion Sunday/Palm Sunday: “See, your king shall come to you—a just savior is He, meek (humble), and riding on an ass.” The Responsorial Psalm praises the coming king, “I will praise Your Name, my King and my God!” and, in the second stanza, makes a connection with the Gospel: “The Lord is good to all, and compassionate toward all His works.” The Gospel has Jesus’ invitation: “Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take My yoke upon your shoulders and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” An anonymous sermon from the 4th century says: “God is humble, and we are proud! The judge is gentle; the criminal, arrogant! The potter speaks in a lowered voice; the clay discourses in the tones of a king! ‘Come, learn from Me, for I am gentle andhumble of heart.” I am the Creator, and I love My work. I am the sculptor, and I care for what I have made. If I thought of My dignity, I should not rescue fallen humanity. If I failed to treat its incurable sickness with fitting remedies, it would die. If I did nothing but threaten, it would perish. This is why I apply the salve of kindness to it where it lies…I am glorified on high, but because I am long-suffering I am not angry with you, for ‘I am gentle and humble in heart.’” (Homily on St. Bassos)



The in-course reading from Romans continues today. Paul tells us, “You are not in the flesh; you are in the spirit.” What is being opposed here? When Paul speaks of “flesh,” he refers to humanity before its redemption in Christ—all of it: body, soul, mind, which has suffered from the fall. “Spirit,” for Paul in this context, is humanity redeemed, reborn in water and the Holy Spirit of God.



You can hear an anthem based on the Gospel Reading---"Come To Me, O Weary Traveler"---on the compact disc "Music for the Year of Matthew," sung by the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter's in the Loop, available from The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN (www.litpress.org).