Last week’s readings focused on what kind of people God wants us to be, reminded us of the blessings he bestows on those of us who extend kindness and hospitality to everyone (regardless of their affiliation). This week our readings focus on the kind of kingdom God envisions for his people. Not one of military might or laborious worship, but something much different from what we’ve come to expect…
The Word for the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Zechariah 9:9-10
Psalm 145: 1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14
Romans 8:9, 11-13
Matthew 11:25-30
Our first reading is from the book of the prophet Zechariah. It is helpful to remember that Zechariah’s prophecy comes from the early post-exile era, around 520 BCE, around the same time as Ezekiel and Ezra, and is attributed to two different authors (1st Zechariah forming Chapters 1-8, 2nd Zechariah forming chapters 9-14). Our passage for this Sunday comes from 2nd Zechariah with a vision of a restored Jerusalem with a new king. But Zechariah’s vision of a kingdom is far different than what the people expect. What they expect is a king who is powerful, with attendants and an army representative of his high stature. Instead we see someone who is humble, riding an ass and banishing all weapons of war. While this might sound familiar to our Christian ears, this is startling to Zechariah’s listeners. They’ve just come a period of Exile and are rebuilding their lives back in Jerusalem. Their desire is to never again be subject to another greater military power. Yet Zechariah tells us that our strength as a people doesn’t come from weapons, but from putting those weapons aside. While Jesus wouldn’t be coming for another 500 years, Zechariah’s vision for a restored Jerusalem is typical of the post-exilic era, during a time where the Jewish people see a future for themselves. The joy Zechariah feels is the same joy we find in Christ… a joy and praise echoed in our Psalm when we sing “I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.”
Jesus picks up this Psalm refrain in our Gospel from Matthew. Here Jesus is stepping in as the new mediator between God and his people. In the past this was a job left to Moses, and later to the priests and religious leaders. But over time Jesus sees that these leaders have led them astray, and those leaders have grown deaf to what the Lord wants of his people. In fact, these religious leaders have made a relationship with God a burden on the people, requiring specific sacrifices and practices that are restricting their access to God. Instead Jesus tells us, “my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” In other words, what you thought God wanted is not at all what he wants. Not great power or wisdom, but great humility and generosity of heart instead.
Our second reading continues our study of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Here Paul explains the differences between the body and the spirit… a common theme in Paul’s teaching derived from popular Hellenistic teaching. Paul teaches us that we are not flesh, we are in the spirit… but only if we allow the spirit of God to dwell in us. Instead of engaging in those activities that satisfy the flesh, Paul is teaching us that we should engage in those activities that satisfy the Spirit of Christ in order to attain salvation. This is a particularly important teaching to his Roman/ Gentile audience, takes aim at their common hedonistic traditions in favor of a higher, spiritual purposes.
Final thoughts:
“Why do I have to go to church?” It’s a question many people ask regularly, and when stay-at-home orders closed our churches back in April, the question becomes even more relevant. Even though many churches have reopened, the threat from COVID-19 is still with us, and even with social distancing and special protocols in place for churches that have re-opened, many people are still embracing the bishop’s dispensation from having to attend Mass. The effort to attend a live-stream Mass (which isn’t nearly as much effort as driving to church), have also given people a sense that they don’t really need to bother even attending Mass virtually.
For many people, going to church is considered a burden. Even we Catholics consider attendance at Mass to be an “obligation” rather than a gift. So much so that only 25% of Catholics attend Sunday Mass regularly. Why is that? To quote Moses, “we are a stiff-necked people.” We want what we want, even though it might not be good for us, and we spend plenty of effort justifying our positions instead of justifying ourselves before God. In many ways we are a lot like those “little ones” Jesus talks about in the Gospel – not the little ones full of joy and wonder, but more like the errant toddler who, as any parent will attest, is willful, narcissistic, and ignorant of the many dangers around them. As adults we grow to realize that we have certain responsibilities, as workers, as parents, as people living in a community. These adult responsibilities also extend to our spiritual needs.
Religious practice is on the decline in every developed county around the world. Perhaps it’s because once people reach a certain material comfort, those people no longer feel the need for God, or at least a formalized way of recognizing his presence and grace and giving thanks for this. Yet so many of these people also say they feel a longing or a “hole” in their lives – lives that by the standards of the developing world far exceed their modest needs. Yet studies done by the Pew Research Center have shown that those who attend religious services regularly not only are happier than those who don’t, but they also live longer. This tells me that we need God as much as God needs us. And our readings tell us how to do this – praise God, be humble, and focus on our spiritual selves.
SPECIAL NOTE:
Sunday, July 5th has been the traditional celebration of Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners. On January 4, 1843, the first Bishop of the Californias, Bishop Francisco Garcia Diego y Moreno stood at Mission Santa Clara (near San Jose) and proclaimed Our Lady of Refuge patroness of both Baja California (now a State of Mexico) and Alta California (now the State of California in the US). The entire text of the Bishop's proclamation is found in Mission Santa Clara's Libro de Patentes. He said: "We make known to you that we hereby name the great Mother of God in her most precious title, 'del Refugio, 'the principal patroness of our diocese… With so great a patroness and protectress, what can we not promise ourselves? What can be wanting and whom need we fear? If through the centuries this most worthy Mother of God has shown goodness and compassion to all peoples and nations… will she not do likewise for those peoples who bind themselves to her as their refuge and special patroness?"
In
the early days of California, the feast of Our Lady of Refuge was
celebrated with great solemnity at all the mission churches. The entire
coat of arms of Bishop Garcia Diego included only the image of Our Lady
of Refuge. A painting of Our Lady of Refuge holding her Child, usually
the product of a local or native artist, graced each mission church
after the bishop’s proclamation. To this day most of the twenty-one
missions of Alta California still display this image in the churches or
in their museums.
The original painting of Our Lady of Refuge came to the Franciscan College of Zacatecas in Mexico from Italy. An Italian Jesuit missionary brought it to Mexico to explain the enthusiastic interest in Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners, that had developed in parish missions in eighteenth century Italy. Devotion to the Mother of Jesus under this title and in this pictorial representation gained wide popularity among the Mexican and California Franciscans and the people they served.
Paintings of Our Lady of Refuge are, with few exceptions, quite similar in design and execution. The heads of the Infant Jesus and his Mother Mary lean together with no background between them. Both figures wear a crown. Mary’s eyes are turned toward the observer, while the gaze of the child seems to turn left of the viewer.
Celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Refuge continued during the mission era of the State, but with the securlarization of the Missions under the Mexican government in 1833, the custom waned, and was eventually displaced by other more popular images of our Lady (including Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima). Still, the memory of Our Lady of Refuge remained, with a handful of parishes from Brooklyn to Long Beach entrusted with her care. After a prolonged effort to recognize her importance to California, in 1981 the California Catholic Conference of Bishops petitioned the Vatican Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship for authorization to observe the feast of Our Lady of Refuge on July 5th as an obligatory memorial. This was approved by official document dated January 15, 1982, and signed by Archbishop Giuseppe Casoria. While the feast is not generally observed, it does remain a feast on the Liturgical Calandar for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the other diocese in the State of California.
The feast is also celebrated in Mexico on its original day of July 4th, but owing to the conflict with Independence Day in the US, our celebration was moved to July 5th.
We are honored that our parish has been graced with Our Lady of Refuge as its patroness, a reminder of her loving care for us and the people of California.
The Word for the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Zechariah 9:9-10
Psalm 145: 1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14
Romans 8:9, 11-13
Matthew 11:25-30
Our first reading is from the book of the prophet Zechariah. It is helpful to remember that Zechariah’s prophecy comes from the early post-exile era, around 520 BCE, around the same time as Ezekiel and Ezra, and is attributed to two different authors (1st Zechariah forming Chapters 1-8, 2nd Zechariah forming chapters 9-14). Our passage for this Sunday comes from 2nd Zechariah with a vision of a restored Jerusalem with a new king. But Zechariah’s vision of a kingdom is far different than what the people expect. What they expect is a king who is powerful, with attendants and an army representative of his high stature. Instead we see someone who is humble, riding an ass and banishing all weapons of war. While this might sound familiar to our Christian ears, this is startling to Zechariah’s listeners. They’ve just come a period of Exile and are rebuilding their lives back in Jerusalem. Their desire is to never again be subject to another greater military power. Yet Zechariah tells us that our strength as a people doesn’t come from weapons, but from putting those weapons aside. While Jesus wouldn’t be coming for another 500 years, Zechariah’s vision for a restored Jerusalem is typical of the post-exilic era, during a time where the Jewish people see a future for themselves. The joy Zechariah feels is the same joy we find in Christ… a joy and praise echoed in our Psalm when we sing “I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.”
Jesus picks up this Psalm refrain in our Gospel from Matthew. Here Jesus is stepping in as the new mediator between God and his people. In the past this was a job left to Moses, and later to the priests and religious leaders. But over time Jesus sees that these leaders have led them astray, and those leaders have grown deaf to what the Lord wants of his people. In fact, these religious leaders have made a relationship with God a burden on the people, requiring specific sacrifices and practices that are restricting their access to God. Instead Jesus tells us, “my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” In other words, what you thought God wanted is not at all what he wants. Not great power or wisdom, but great humility and generosity of heart instead.
Our second reading continues our study of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Here Paul explains the differences between the body and the spirit… a common theme in Paul’s teaching derived from popular Hellenistic teaching. Paul teaches us that we are not flesh, we are in the spirit… but only if we allow the spirit of God to dwell in us. Instead of engaging in those activities that satisfy the flesh, Paul is teaching us that we should engage in those activities that satisfy the Spirit of Christ in order to attain salvation. This is a particularly important teaching to his Roman/ Gentile audience, takes aim at their common hedonistic traditions in favor of a higher, spiritual purposes.
Final thoughts:
“Why do I have to go to church?” It’s a question many people ask regularly, and when stay-at-home orders closed our churches back in April, the question becomes even more relevant. Even though many churches have reopened, the threat from COVID-19 is still with us, and even with social distancing and special protocols in place for churches that have re-opened, many people are still embracing the bishop’s dispensation from having to attend Mass. The effort to attend a live-stream Mass (which isn’t nearly as much effort as driving to church), have also given people a sense that they don’t really need to bother even attending Mass virtually.
For many people, going to church is considered a burden. Even we Catholics consider attendance at Mass to be an “obligation” rather than a gift. So much so that only 25% of Catholics attend Sunday Mass regularly. Why is that? To quote Moses, “we are a stiff-necked people.” We want what we want, even though it might not be good for us, and we spend plenty of effort justifying our positions instead of justifying ourselves before God. In many ways we are a lot like those “little ones” Jesus talks about in the Gospel – not the little ones full of joy and wonder, but more like the errant toddler who, as any parent will attest, is willful, narcissistic, and ignorant of the many dangers around them. As adults we grow to realize that we have certain responsibilities, as workers, as parents, as people living in a community. These adult responsibilities also extend to our spiritual needs.
Religious practice is on the decline in every developed county around the world. Perhaps it’s because once people reach a certain material comfort, those people no longer feel the need for God, or at least a formalized way of recognizing his presence and grace and giving thanks for this. Yet so many of these people also say they feel a longing or a “hole” in their lives – lives that by the standards of the developing world far exceed their modest needs. Yet studies done by the Pew Research Center have shown that those who attend religious services regularly not only are happier than those who don’t, but they also live longer. This tells me that we need God as much as God needs us. And our readings tell us how to do this – praise God, be humble, and focus on our spiritual selves.
SPECIAL NOTE:
Sunday, July 5th has been the traditional celebration of Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners. On January 4, 1843, the first Bishop of the Californias, Bishop Francisco Garcia Diego y Moreno stood at Mission Santa Clara (near San Jose) and proclaimed Our Lady of Refuge patroness of both Baja California (now a State of Mexico) and Alta California (now the State of California in the US). The entire text of the Bishop's proclamation is found in Mission Santa Clara's Libro de Patentes. He said: "We make known to you that we hereby name the great Mother of God in her most precious title, 'del Refugio, 'the principal patroness of our diocese… With so great a patroness and protectress, what can we not promise ourselves? What can be wanting and whom need we fear? If through the centuries this most worthy Mother of God has shown goodness and compassion to all peoples and nations… will she not do likewise for those peoples who bind themselves to her as their refuge and special patroness?"
In
the early days of California, the feast of Our Lady of Refuge was
celebrated with great solemnity at all the mission churches. The entire
coat of arms of Bishop Garcia Diego included only the image of Our Lady
of Refuge. A painting of Our Lady of Refuge holding her Child, usually
the product of a local or native artist, graced each mission church
after the bishop’s proclamation. To this day most of the twenty-one
missions of Alta California still display this image in the churches or
in their museums.The original painting of Our Lady of Refuge came to the Franciscan College of Zacatecas in Mexico from Italy. An Italian Jesuit missionary brought it to Mexico to explain the enthusiastic interest in Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners, that had developed in parish missions in eighteenth century Italy. Devotion to the Mother of Jesus under this title and in this pictorial representation gained wide popularity among the Mexican and California Franciscans and the people they served.
Paintings of Our Lady of Refuge are, with few exceptions, quite similar in design and execution. The heads of the Infant Jesus and his Mother Mary lean together with no background between them. Both figures wear a crown. Mary’s eyes are turned toward the observer, while the gaze of the child seems to turn left of the viewer.
Celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Refuge continued during the mission era of the State, but with the securlarization of the Missions under the Mexican government in 1833, the custom waned, and was eventually displaced by other more popular images of our Lady (including Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima). Still, the memory of Our Lady of Refuge remained, with a handful of parishes from Brooklyn to Long Beach entrusted with her care. After a prolonged effort to recognize her importance to California, in 1981 the California Catholic Conference of Bishops petitioned the Vatican Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship for authorization to observe the feast of Our Lady of Refuge on July 5th as an obligatory memorial. This was approved by official document dated January 15, 1982, and signed by Archbishop Giuseppe Casoria. While the feast is not generally observed, it does remain a feast on the Liturgical Calandar for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the other diocese in the State of California.
The feast is also celebrated in Mexico on its original day of July 4th, but owing to the conflict with Independence Day in the US, our celebration was moved to July 5th.
We are honored that our parish has been graced with Our Lady of Refuge as its patroness, a reminder of her loving care for us and the people of California.
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