From our Pastor’s Desk

Dear Family:

Happy Independence Day; I hope you celebrated our 250 anniversary as a free nation. A nation that hold self-evident truths as that we are created equal and endowed by God with unalienable rights such as Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Today’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel comes after a discourse in which Jesus reproaches people who have witnessed his mighty deeds yet still lack belief. In this context, today’s Gospel explains the reason for this unbelief and reveals what is necessary for faith.

Jesus first prays in thanksgiving to God who has made himself known to Jesus’ disciples. He praises God who has made himself known to the “little ones” and not to the wise and learned. As in other recent readings from Matthew’s Gospel, a contrast is made here between the unbelieving Pharisees, who are wise and learned, and the faithful disciples, tax collectors, and sinners with whom Jesus keeps company.

The second part of this reading calls to our attention the unity between the Father and the Son. God has made himself known through Jesus, and in knowing Jesus, we come to know the Father. In Jesus’ life and in his person, God reveals himself to us. Finally, there comes the heartfelt invitation of Jesus to come to Him. And this invitation is supported by Jesus’ attributes of meekness and humility as it is expressed in today’s Gospel: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” What does that mean, meek and humble of heart? How can we understand this?

There are many times that we feel overwhelmed by the world, our responsibilities, even our efforts to grow in the most important relationships of our lives: for many of you, your marriages; for me, my relationship with my congregation; for all of us, our relationship with God. We watch the news, listen to commentaries and witness all we hold dear being mocked. We read how our children and teens are being exploited by drugs, alcohol, sex, and social media outlets. We see images of turmoil in the world, war in Ukraine, Iran, Lebanon, and other areas of the world, and terrorism everywhere. We are upset by mass shootings and fear for our children’s safety as well as our own. We witness all this and feel that the world is too much for us.

“Come to me,” the Lord says, “I am meek and humble of heart.” He is telling us, “I know how you feel. You think the world is falling to pieces and you fear for your family. Entrust them to me, entrust yourself to me. I will care for you. I will care for your family. I am God, but I have not distanced myself from you. I love you too much to do that. I am the big man, and you are my little child. Come to me.”

Many would respond, “But how can I provide all that my family needs.” Jesus answers, “I am all that they need; everything else will fall into place.” We are called to give him our relationships. Relationships take a lot of hard work. Marriages take a lot of hard work as husbands and wives continually sacrifice their own wants, even their own points of view, for the sake of those whom they love so much. Relationships with people outside of our family take work. It takes humility to allow other people to be themselves, not to be what we think they should be. Our relationship to God takes the greatest amount of work in our lives. Every day is another chance to let Him enter deeper into our lives. But this means denying ourselves. It means setting more and more time for Him. It means sacrifice when what we really want to do is pull a Jonah and go Southwest when God tells us to go Northeast. Sometimes we come before the Lord and say, “I cannot seem to get along with anyone, beginning with myself, and including you.” And Jesus says, “I have got you, I will teach you how to love. Just let me hold you, and care for you. I want to help you. Come to me, I am meek and humble of heart.”

Jesus says to us, “learn from me… and you will find rest for your souls.” Humility and gentleness: two words that do not seem to make much sense in the world of today. Take gentleness. To be gentle is not necessarily to be weak. In fact gentleness is a form of strength. Take the hands of a mother or a surgeon. Here gentleness counts, not brute force. A storm breaks flowers, whereas a gentle sun gets them to open up and grow. Without gentleness we cannot help others to grow or develop. All we will do is make them withdraw further into their shells.

And take humility. Again, in today’s competitive world, humility would seem to make about as much sense as a parachute to a deep-sea diver. Today you are told to project yourself if you want to make it. And yet humility is not a form of weakness. “Loving humility is a powerful force, and there is nothing in the world like it” (Dostoyevsky). Humility is the foundation on which to build the house of the spirit. Humble people know that before God they are poor, weak, and vulnerable. They do not build on false things. When we are empty God can fill us. When we are weak God can strengthen us.

To the gentle and humble Jesus promises peace of soul. It is because we know so little about being gentle with one another that we have so much trouble in our homes and in the world. We want to dominate others. It is because we know so little about humanity that we have so little peace within ourselves and with others. Proud and arrogant people do not bring peace. They spread confusion and unrest by projecting onto others their own anger and frustrations. Humble people disarm others and bring out the best in them.

“My burden is light,” says Jesus. If we listen to him he will not only sweeten our burdens but our whole lives. He will carry us when we are weak. He will calm us when we are troubled and afraid. And he will help us to have a compassionate heart towards others. He will make us want to lighten their burdens where we can. Solidarity doubles joy and halves sorrow.

The words of today’s second reading encourages us. We are not in the flesh. We are in the Spirit. The Spirit of God dwells in us. We need to put our trust in God. He is our hope, our hope not just for the future, but our hope for the present. Jesus tells us to pick up our crosses and follow Him, follow Him to Calvary living His sacrificial love, and follow Him to the joy of eternal union with God. If we do it, we will be One Body, One Spirit, One Family!

Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Michael the Archangel, St. José Gregorio Hernández, Pope Saint Pius X, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Charbel, pray for us.

Yours in Christ!
Fr. Omar