READINGS
1. Zech 9:9-10
2.Rom8:9.11-13
3.Mt1125-30
From the first reading we hear Prophet Zachariah inviting the Israelites to rejoice in heart and soul to shout with gladness, why? because during that time Israel was no longer an independent country, it was a country colonized, exploited and oppressed by foreign powers. It's under this background the prophet is bringing the good news of the libarator, Jesus Christ who could liberate the Israelites from such kind of oppressions. The Prophet says the "Messiah is about to apper" he will be just and glorious King. From people's expectations the King prophecied by a prophet is not a powerful King having a powerful army with horses and chariots, but a humbly and riding a donkey King. Who would trust such a King???
In the second part of the reading we are told that on his arrival in Jerusalem he will remove every sign of military power will destroy every instrument of war and violance. Jesus fulfills this prophecy literally when he enters Jerusalem on a donkey. This shows that he is a King who is expected the one who will conquer all hearts with his love.
From the 2nd reading we are told that Jesus like a man died. We can pose this question to ourselves that why did Jesus rise again?Paul answers this question clearly that because he had in him the spirit of God, the fullness of God's life. We are invited to reflect on our life experiences as Christians that our deeds as Christians should reflect and match our lives received in Baptism. If people live according to the flesh their deeds will lead them to death.
From the Gospel reading Mt 11:25 we hear Jesus blessing his Father in these words " I bless you father, Lord of Heaven and Earth for hiding these things from the learned and cleaver and revealing them to mere children." In this verse let's not be mislead/confused with this statement thinking that God hates the Learned and cleaver. The aim of the evangelist was to convey the hiden theological meaning of that God does not exclude the Learned and important peoples, yet what God wants from such people is not misuse of their education and talents in serving his people, the poor, humble and the lowly. We are reminded of the pride as the root of sin. We can also pose this question to ourselves that what make us ignorant and blind to the things of God?Certainly intellectual pride, coldness of heart and sturbonness of will shut out God and his Kingdom. Pride is the root of all vice and strongest influence propelling us to sin. It closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives, yet we can ask ourselves what is pride? it's inordinate love of oneself at the expense of others and exaggrated estimation of one's knowledge and importance.
From the Gospel reading we are also invited to learn the simplicity of heart we hear Jesus contrasting intellectual pride with child like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like simplicity and humility. The simple of heart are like" infants in the sense that they see purely and simply without any pretence of falsehood. They instinctively recognize their utter dependence and reliance on those who are stronger wise and more capable of giving them what they need to live and grow. Pride is the root of sin and evil, likewise, humility is the only soil in which the grace and favor of God can take root. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble ( Proverb 3:34, James4:6) only the humble in heart can receive the wisdom that comes from God, do we trust in God wholly heartedly???
We learn from the Gospel " the sweet yoke of Jesus" let's ask ourselves this question " what does the yoke of Jesus refer in the Gospel? The Jews used the image of a yoke to express submission to God. They spoke of the Yoke of the law, yoke, of commandments, the yoke of the Kingdom and the Yoke of God. Jesus says his yoke is "easy" the Greek word for easy can also mean " well- fitting" Yokes were tailor made to fit the oxen well. We are commanded to put on the sweet yoke of Jesus and to live the Heavenly way of life and happiness. No burden is too heavy when it's given and carried in love. Jesus offers a new kingdom of righteous, peace and Joy. In his Kingdom sinsare not only forgiven, but removed and eternal life is poured out for all its citizens. This is not a political Kingdom, but a spiritual one.
The Yoke of Christ's Kingdom , his kingly rule liberates us from burden of guilt conscience, from oppression of sin and harmful desires. Only Jesus can lift the burden of sin and the weight of hopelessness from us and give us the weight fo love and Glory in exchange. Jesus used the analogy of a yoke to explain how we can exchange the burden of sin and dispair for a burden of Glory and yoke of freedom from sin. The yoke which Jesus invites us to embrace is his way of Grace and freedom from the power of sin.
An anonymous writer once said " For the weight of Earthly masters gradually destroys the strength of their servants, but the weight of Christ rather helps to the one who hears it because we do not bear grace, grace bear us, it's not for us to help grace, but rather grace has been given to aid and guide us.
In the last part of to day's Gospel ( vv 28-30) deals with oppression, that the little ones, the poor suffer at the hands of the wise and intelligent. These scribes and Pharisees have set a complicated religion full of detailed rules and impossible to observe because of this law the poor are not only lucky in this world, they are also excluded from the next, they cannot observe the law so, they are impure, Jesus says" Break the bonds of this oppressive religion. Accept my commandments love one another. Learn from me, means, simply do not listen to teachers who want to be the masters and owners of your consciences who preach God who reject the poor, who teache a religion on which there is no joy.
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Chapisha Maoni