Word from the Pastor

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Our rest comes in walking side-by-side with Christ.
Zechariah 9:9-10,Romans 8:9,11-13,Matthew 11:25-30

Dear parish family,​

You may have noticed that our first reading today includes details that remind us of Palm Sunday: See, your king shall come to you… meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass. It may feel puzzling to encounter that image from sacred Scripture at this point deep in Ordinary Time. This image does more, however, than remind us of Jesus’ triumphant yet peaceful entrance into Jerusalem before his passion. It reminds us that, even in the ordinary moments of our life, Jesus Christ is king.

This reading also tells us what kind of a king Christ is. For those who may harbor false images of a harsh God, or a God of earthly values, it tells us of a king who banishes chariots and the warrior’s bow. It reminds us that ours is a king who proclaims peace. Yes, he is powerful – His dominion shall be from sea to sea – and yet his power is manifested in his coming to us in meekness. This is a king who casts down earthly assumptions of power, whose victory is revealed in the vulnerability of the cross. He is a king who triumphs in love, not control or violence.

With this in mind, we come to our Gospel reading for today, in which Jesus says, Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. This is more than a lovely sentiment. This is the God who defeated death, this mighty one whose dominion shall be from sea to sea, promising to carry our burdens with us, promising to never leave us alone in our struggles, promising to humble himself to walk beside us in our smallness and our need.

If we look at this passage carefully, we can also see another vital truth. In Christ’s invitation, we can see that our rest does not come in ignoring or running away from our labors and burdens. No, our rest comes in walking side-by-side with Christ, in the midst of our labors. There, we can share his yoke and find comfort in his meek and humble heart.

This God of might comes to be with us in a particular way in this liturgy. What burdens, what labor, can we offer on this altar with the gifts of bread and wine today? What struggles or worries can we share with Christ at this holy table?

Jesus doesn’t only come to walk beside us in carrying our burdens. He also gives us the grace to carry them. As we receive the Eucharist, Jesus gives us a share in his divine grace and power. As Saint Paul reminds us, through our union with the Lord, the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead comes to dwell in us. With the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us, we, then, are able to do things that, humanly speaking, are beyond our power. We can love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, forgive those who have hurt us, and even carry whatever burdens we may face with serenity and peace.

May Christ, in the Eucharist, strengthen us, be ever more present in our labor, and lead us more fully into his kingdom.

Have a blessed week!

Fr. Jean Jadotte
Pastor