Ordinary Time, 14th Sunday (A) The king is coming, and he is coming in peace. He is humble, poor, and afflicted. Only the "little ones" would want such a king. Deep down, we are all humble, poor, and afflicted, though we do a good job making ourselves look mighty, noble, and powerful.

The prophet Zechariah is writing about Palm Sunday. He is also writing about God's Kingdom of peace that is coming. Between the coming of the King and the final fulfillment, there is a gap. I believe that priests are called to bridge the gap.

How is Jesus' yoke easy and burden light? I came to Jesus and I couldn't imagine a heavier load than priesthood. But I began to realize that most of the burden I was carrying was my own ego, weighed down by my expectations and fears. When I come to Jesus, I accept the reality that I am poor, afflicted, and weak. Jesus loves me and works along side of me. Jesus carries the heavy load.

Your ego is a terrible burden. Your fears are a terrible burden. Your expectations and those of the world are a terrible burden. Compared to these heavy burdens, God's yoke is easy, and his burden is light. Come to Him and experience it for yourself.

(9 Jul 2023)

Going Deeper: Do you have a sense of the fears that weigh you down, steal your peace, and cause you to have unrealistic expectations? When have you experienced the freedom of working along side of Jesus?

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