Readings
for
03 July 2011
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's First Reading is from The Book of Zechariah, beginning at the 9th Chapter and the 9th Verse (Zech 9:9-10):

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Today's Song of Praise is taken from Psalm 145

Alleluia.

I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.

R. Alleluia.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.

R. Alleluia.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.

R. Alleluia.

The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.

R. Alleluia.

Today's Epistle is from the Letter of Paul to the Romans, beginning at the 8th Chapter, and the 9th Verse (Rom 8:9,11-13):.

But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh -- for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.

+ A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew, beginning at the 11th Chapter, and the 25th Verse (Matt 11:25-30):

At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.

All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Sermon
for
3 July 2011
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time


Today's Old Testament reading is the source of the striking Palm Sunday image (Mark 11:-10), when Jesus rides into Jerusalem "on the back of an ass, a colt the foal of an ass". Kings and conquerors rode horses; lowly folk walked or rode donkeys.

Yet the people of Jerusalem, recognizing the image, cry out: ""Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!" An ordinary man, riding an ordinary donkey, receives the accolade of a king.

The Psalmist says:

"I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.

    and further:

"Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might."

Glory to You, Lord Jesus, King of Kings, and, as the Creed says: "...Light of Light, Very God of Very God"!

And yet, despite His transcendant glory, Jesus calls to the weakest and most lowly of us:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Let us then rise to His call:
In the Name of the Father +
And of the Son +
And of the Holy Spirit +
Amen.

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