Sunday in the 14th week of Year A Mt 11,25-30

Introduction.

Jesus calls us today: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will strengthen you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:28-29).

Sermon.

In his love, Jesus reveals and glorifies his Father. These words of Jesus can be called “self-revelation”. Jesus as the Son represents his relationship to the Father in the Holy Spirit. He says how he received everything from the Father. The Father, who is the Lord of heaven and earth, reveals through Jesus the mystery that he came to announce to the world. It is known that even today most of the great scientists declare themselves to be believers. In the secrets that God has hidden from the “wise and prudent”, they recognize the obligation to be little ones, because God reveals his wisdom, greatness, and love to the little ones. Man’s pride has closed the doors of paradise. The faith of many personalities of science, both macrocosm, and microcosm, medicine, nuclear or quantum energy, physics, and chemistry, is based on humility, simplicity, perseverance… Many great people, the more they know, know, and mean, the more we know them as people not proud, but humble.
As God’s Son, Jesus received everything from the Father: knowledge of God and participation in his ruling power. Even today, the quiet and humble Jesus is not only for great people of science, art, and sports… a role model, an inspiration to work on themselves, on what they do, but the quiet and humble Jesus gives everyone the assurance that if we enter his school, which bears the seal of great love, silence and humility, each of us will find rest for his soul. No one who is proud, no one who rejects the example of Jesus and who pretends to be wise and prudent, will not understand the revolutionary message that Jesus makes known to people. Jesus teaches from the Gospel that he knows the mystery of the Father and will pass it on to those who can understand it. The mystery of God will not be understood by those who live in pride, and sin. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us who is dear to God. Man is created in the image of God, and the human heart, as the most important organ of the human body, figuratively reminds us, to know, love, and serve God. As the human heart beats, it performs its activity day and night, whether we are aware of it or not, so we, gifted with reason and will, are to fulfill the will of God.
The world of sin has created false, temporary principles, and rules that only tough people have a chance to succeed in, for example, politics, the economy, and sports. They consider a simple and direct person to be naive, perhaps good, and use him selflessly. Jesus does not want to demonstrate the power and use violence. Jesus could not be admired either as a philosopher or a man of letters. However, his word is powerful, although he is not considered a successful person. And yet, Jesus shows the way to true values ​​here on earth and once in eternity. He wants us to accept them, adopt them, live according to them, and only he will reward those who fulfill their mission.

Each of us is addressed by Jesus: “Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will strengthen you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:28-29).

In the book; ,, Living the Gospel,, Bendiktk describes the story of a boy who suffered from a spinal disease in childhood. Since then, he suffered a lot physically and mentally. He was hidden. He especially suffered when he had to undress somewhere. The shoulders looked terrible. It went so far that he began to hate his mutilation. The class was invited for a medical examination. The boy stood in line, but he suffered a lot from having to stand in front of the doctor like that again. He was sweating, he was tense, he was ashamed. When he entered the ambulance, something strange happened. The doctor stood up, came to the boy, took the boy’s face in his hands, looked deep into his eyes, and asked, “Son, do you believe in God?” “Yes, please,” said the boy. “That’s good,” said the doctor, and after a while he said, “The more you believe in God, the sooner and easier you will accept yourself.” Then the doctor sat down at the table and wrote something. He got up and left the room. The boy approached the table and with a trembling heart read what the doctor had written. He could not believe his eyes what he read about himself: “The boy has an unusually beautifully formed face.” After a while the doctor returned and finished the examination. In parting, he smiled at the boy and remarked: “Everything is fine. You can leave.” This short episode played a huge role in the boy’s life. He never forgot the doctor’s few words and his unusual delicacy.

Jesus reminds us again and again: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you strength.” Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:28-29). Jesus’ words are an inspiration to realize the meaning of the strength, power, and value of the gospel. It is true that the world prefers if it wants to forcefully, words: pride, tactlessness, rudeness to delicacy, humility, love, nobility. Just look around, listen to what is said, how it is said, not only during football, in the hospitality industry, but also on the way home, in families… What about you, parents? After all, children are the calling cards of parents not only in their clothes but also in their behavior, speech… Jesus represents the Father. Children, in turn, parents. But adults also represent the nation. What about politicians in public speeches? What films, actors, and public officials? Jesus speaks to each of us: “Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29).

Jesus does not stop at words… Let’s notice his approach to the woman caught in sin. To the woman in the Pharisee’s house. How Jesus defends these women and speaks about them. He didn’t condemn, he didn’t judge, but he showed what we all long for love. In the parable of the lost sheep, we do not read that when the good shepherd found it, he beat it, shouted at it, but that he took it on his shoulders and rejoiced. The Good Shepherd reminds us of Jesus. Jesus wants us to notice and adopt the gentle behavior of the Father in the parable of the prodigal son. That father symbolizes the Heavenly Father. Our behavior, love, that is, our Christian hearts can do and do miracles. It is right that we see Jesus as a new Teacher who desires to lead us in a new way of life, which will be based on the principles of humility, love, mutual understanding or respect, and appreciation. In this new world, Jesus offers us his help, strength, and protection. After all, we know from the mouth of Jesus what heaven means to us, eternity with the Holy Trinity, the Virgin Mary, angels, and saints.

It is worth mentioning an experiment that a religious teacher did with his students in a certain city. For three days, the class had to observe adults on the street, at home, in waiting rooms, means of transport, on the way to and from church, and at home. The children were supposed to look for what was noticeable to adults. The children concluded together: People don’t smile much. Adults are very serious. If they sometimes smile, but quickly and forcefully, and they don’t look happy and cheerful.

It is not written about Jesus in the Gospel that he laughed, smiled, joked. He teaches us to be truly happy, as he was with his and our Father.

We can imitate Jesus. We have options, our reason, the example of parents who bless and make the cross on their children’s foreheads when they leave the house. It is a manifestation of love that flows from loving hearts. The Gospel wants to draw us more and more to God, who is Love.