14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 9th July 2023
Lectionary Readings:
Zechariah 9 v 9-12; Psalm 145 v8-14; Romans 7 v 15-25a; Matthew 11 v 16-19, 25-30.
The Rescuer.
“I will come to your rescue and offer you hope”. (Zechariah 9 v 11-12a).
The prophet was addressing the people of Jerusalem after their return from exile. The people are despondent, they are living in poverty and trying to rebuild the temple; but nothing is going right for them. Zechariah relays God’s message of hope for the future, a new king, (v9) a new kingdom, (v10) and the assurance of their rescue (v11).
In the passage from Romans, the apostle Paul is in the middle of a long explanation about the place of the Torah (The Law of Moses) in God’s rescue plan. He argues that the Torah is to be celebrated as God’s word, yes; it tells us what is right and wrong, yes; and how we should live in community, yes. But it fails to tell us how we, mere mortals, can achieve this, given that we are constantly battling against our stubborn desire to please ourselves first and foremost. (see Romans 7 v15,18).
Paul seems to sink into despondency, “What a miserable person I am, who will rescue me?”; before thanking God for his saviour Jesus. (see Romans7 v24, 25). Paul explains how God achieves this a few verses later. (see Romans 8 v2.)
In the gospel reading, Matthew has Jesus reflecting on human nature – and the difficulty of pleasing some people. (Matthew 11 v17). Some of us seem only to be happy when we are complaining.
Jesus challenges such thinking by suggesting that “Wisdom is shown to be right by what it does” (Matthew 11 v19c). Jesus encourages the complainers to ponder the work and legacy of John the Baptist and Jesus himself.
Later in the second part of the gospel passage, Jesus explains why he has come, “To tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.” (Matthew 11 v27).
Jesus then invites us to unload our ‘burdens’ (heartaches, worries, guilt, remorse, sorrows, and fears) and rest with him. (Matthew 11 v28).
Then to learn from him and to join him in his mission to rescue others, with the assurance of his love and company. (Matthew 11 v29,30).
So, let us join hymn writer Kathy Galloway in praising the one who rescues us and gives us hope.
(Singing the Faith 116 v2, 3).
Sing for God’s power that shatters the chains that would bind us,
searing the darkness of fear and despair that could blind us,
touching our shame with love that will not blame,
reaching out gently to find us.
Sing for God’s justice disturbing each easy illusion,
tearing down tyrants and putting our pride to confusion;
lifeblood of right, resisting evil and slight,
offering freedom’s transfusion.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.