Contacts & Publisher

Subscription Form

Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  What do you do when you find life burdensome?

by Fr. Richard C. Macey, special to The Michigan Catholic
Published June 27, 2008

First Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10

The second half of the Book of Zechariah, chapters 9-14, differs from the first half. It is often called Deutero-Zechariah, meaning "second Zechariah." There are two poetic oracles in 9:1 and 12:1. There are also many links to other biblical passages in the second half of the work. A variety of different dates of composition have been proposed for what appears to be a collection of writings.

These verses are in the middle of an oracle. The double call of "daughter" in verse 9 balances the double reference to "sons" in verse 13. Zion was the hilltop in Jerusalem where the Temple was built. Later, that designation would be moved to the westernmost hill of the city, where the Messiah was said to establish his rule. The reference to "your king" has an eschatological reference. It suggests the judgment of God and the renewal of the Davidic reign.

The verses about the king as a "savior," who rides "on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass," is the biblical foreshadowing of the Palm Sunday texts in all four gospels, especially in Matthew 21:5-7. The evangelist quotes the text and says that Jesus "sat on them." He interpreted two animals, rather than one. A king at war would arrive in a horse-driven chariot. Thus, this text speaks about him arriving "to proclaim peace to the nations." The king is victorious in establishing "his dominion … from sea to sea."

Second Reading: Romans 8:9, 11-13

These verses from Romans appear frequently in the lectionary and in the breviary. In this chapter, Paul answers the dilemma he proposed in the preceding chapter about righteousness. The Law cannot make someone righteous in the sight of God. The Spirit of God is the power that removes the obstacle of the Law and connects the believer to Christ. Paul affirms that those who have entered this new relationship to God through Christ cannot follow a life controlled by the desires of the flesh.

There is a strong contrast between "the flesh," which appears four times in this passage, and "the spirit/Spirit," which appears six times. "The flesh" generally has a negative tone in the Pauline writings. It refers to bodily weakness and sinfulness in human activity. It is contrasted with the Spirit, both the individual spirit that gives life to the human body and the Spirit of God that is the power of God to save the one who trusts in God. The power of God is not only life, but it is also life-giving to the one who receives this power. The distinction between these two spirits, human and divine, can only be determined in context. It is clear that even the human spirit cannot achieve the goal of life by its own efforts.

The term "dwell" echoes the Old Testament idea of the "dwelling" of God with His people through their desert sojourn and in the Temple. The presence of God is connected with fruitfulness of land and the well-being of human life and society. Thus, the presence of "the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead" will "give life to your mortal bodies also." The resurrection of the body, most clearly defined in another Pauline work (1 Corinthians 15), is reaffirmed here. It shows that the belief has already taken root in the Christian Church.

Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30

The first half of this passage has been used as a text to support the classic Trinitarian doctrine (by Cyril of Jerusalem, Irenaeus, Athanasius, etc.). It establishes Jesus and the Father in the Godhead. Jesus cannot be understood apart from the Father, a Jewish address for God. Matthew clearly stated that Jesus was the fulfillment of "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). "These things" probably refers to all that Jesus did and said during His ministry.

In the use of typical biblical parallelism, the "wise and learned" are contrasted with "little ones." An invitation is given to everyone to know "these things" that have been revealed by God to humanity. There is no exclusive possession of this knowledge by an elite group. "Little ones" can describe the young age of someone, but it also refers to the lack of maturity. It is even more intense, if the Hebrew equivalent is substituted. It would mean, "simpleminded, uneducated, stupid."

I recently celebrated the funeral of our "church-lady." She was not highly educated in our liturgy and theology. She was a very pious woman who was always around the Church. She set up for daily Mass, welcomed new people who she saw at Mass and asked people to bring up the offertory gifts. She was in the parking lot by 6 a.m. for the Mass at 9 a.m. On holidays when the maintenance people were not around, that meant I had to get up and open the Church for her.

One time I was particularly inconvenienced by having to leave my bed early to let her into the Church, so I asked her, "Why do you take more than two hours to set out two cruets and a chalice for Mass?" She replied, "But I have to get everything ready!" She didn't mean just the material things for Mass. She sanctified the chapel with her prayers and litanies in order to prepare the sacred space to celebrate those mysteries of faith. I admit that I didn't "get it" immediately. God gives wisdom to the "little ones" to understand the obvious. I was one of those "wise and learned" who missed the point!

It takes two to wear a yoke, so the Lord helps us in our labor and our burdens. In fact, He says that it is "my yoke," with which He teaches us. The "rest" of the Lord is more than just a breather before taking up the tasks to do that day. Daily, in the breviary, we pray Psalm 95 which ends with the word "(my) rest." It is a way of living, a connection and communion with the Lord. Some people "get it" more quickly than others. They live in the presence of the Lord every day.

Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.