Welcome to our Bible Study

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time A6 July 2014

In preparation for this Sunday’s Liturgy

In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing

Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

1st reading: Zechariah 9:9-10

• 9 Thus says the Lord, “Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass. 10 He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the warrior's bow shall be banished, and he shall proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

The focus is on rejoicing.

1st reading: Zechariah 9:9-10

Exhortation to rejoice• 9 Thus says the Lord, “Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion,

shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! The coming of the humble King• See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he,

meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass. The purpose of his coming• 10 He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim, and the

horse from Jerusalem; the warrior's bow shall be banished, and he shall proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

A simple outline!

1st reading: Zechariah 9:9-10Exhortation to rejoice• 9 Thus says the Lord,

“Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!

The coming of the humble King

• See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.

The purpose of his coming• 10 He shall banish the

chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the warrior's bow shall be banished, and he shall proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Commentary• The author lived 200 years after the time of

Zechariah, the prophet, who worked with Haggai in the reconstruction of the Temple.

• The book of Zechariah is divided into two: chapters 1-8 (520 BC) and chapters 9-14 (300 BC)

• In parallel form, the prophet exhorts (rejoice // shout with joy) the people of Jerusalem (daughter Zion // daughter Jerusalem) to rejoice. v.9

• V.9b states the reason why the people of Jerusalem should rejoice, in parallel form (your king // a just savior is coming riding on an ass, not to wage war)

• V.10 states the purpose of his coming.– He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim // horse

from Jerusalem // warrior’s bow.– He will proclaim peace.

• V.10b tells the extent of his reign of peace (the whole earth).

Reflections on the 1st reading

• We should rejoice.• God comes to destroy war machineries.• God wants peace.• He is coming to establish peace on earth.• God wants comprehensive peace.• Why do powerful nations continue to device

more destructive weapons?

2nd reading: Romans 8:9,11-13• 9 You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you

are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 11 If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. 12 Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 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.

The focus is on living in the Spirit.

2nd reading: Romans 8:9,11-13• 9 You are not in the flesh;

on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 11 If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. 12 Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 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.

Commentary• In v.9, Paul declares to the baptized

Christians in Rome that they are now in the Spirit, no longer in the flesh.– That is, if the Spirit of God dwells in them.

(Spirit’s indwelling is a gift from God).• The Spirit’s indwelling makes one belong to

God.• V.11 indicates that the same Spirit who

made Jesus rise from the dead, will also raise our dead bodies to life.

• In v.12, the Christians have no obligation to the flesh. Christians are not obliged to live according to the flesh.

• The flesh has no more power over us if we live in the Spirit.

• V.13 warns us: if we live according to the flesh, death is our destiny.

• But if we put to death the bodily deeds, by the power of the Spirit, we will surely live.

2nd reading: Romans 8:9,11-13• 9 You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God

dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 11 If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. 12 Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 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.

If you live in the flesh- you do not belong to God.

- (you will not be raised from the dead)- you are debtors to the flesh

- you will die.

If you live in the Spirit- you belong to God.- you will be raised from the dead

- you are not debtors to the flesh

- you put to death deeds of the body (flesh)

- you will live

Christians do not live in the flesh.

Reflections on the 2nd reading• Christians live in the Spirit of the Lord.• In all baptized Christians, God’s Spirit dwells.• Living in the Spirit is living according to our dignity

as God’s children.• Living in the flesh means living according to

worldly pleasures: eating too much, drunkenness, vices, illicit sex, gambling, drugs, too much entertainment.

• We are called to enjoy life by self-giving and in total surrender to the will of God.

• We give all our energies (our eros) to God and in service to our fellow men and women.

Gospel reading: Matthew 11:25-30

• 25 At that time Jesus exclaimed, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. 28 "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

The focus is on the things of God. (spiritual things, God’s wisdom)

Gospel reading: Matthew 11:25-30 God’s secrets are revealed to the simple people• 25 At that time Jesus exclaimed, "I give praise to you,

Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

God’s secrets are passed through the Son• 27 All things have been handed over to me by my

Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

God’s invitation to take a break with him• 28 "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,

and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

A simple outline!

Gospel reading: Matthew 11:25-30 God’s secrets are revealed to

the simple people• 25 At that time Jesus

exclaimed, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

God’s secrets are passed through the Son

• 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

Commentary• In v.25, Jesus praises his Father

for revealing his secrets to the little ones.

• What a great honor for the simple people to know God’s wisdom!

• The wise, the learned and the intelligent do not know what the poor and simple people know.

• In v.26, Jesus acknowledges it as God’s gracious will.

• In v.27, all things (these things in v.25) are handed to Jesus by the Father himself.

• We know God because Jesus reveals Him to us.

Gospel reading: Matthew 11:25-30 God’s invitation to take a

break with him• 28 "Come to me, all you

who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

• V.28 invites His hardworking apostles to rest with him.

• In v.29, Jesus assures his disciples what kind of a person he is.– He is not a slave driver.– He has a heart. – He understands people’s situation.– He does not make people work on

useless and meaningless things.

Reflections on the gospel reading

• Jesus communicates his secrets to the little ones (the humble, the lowly, the unpretentious, the open, the virgin), not to the wise and the learned (Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees).

• These things (God’s wisdom and knowledge) cannot be known through human intelligence, but only through God’s revelation.

• The little ones know something better.• Jesus’ religion is not cumbersome.• His approach to God is simple, something that the

heart understands.

Tying the 3 readings• The first reading tells the people to rejoice for peace will

soon reign.• The second reading assures eternal life to those who live

in the Spirit.• The gospel reading gives a special attention to the “little

ones.” They will be given rest.

Usually the first and gospel readings talk on, more or less, the same theme. This time, all the three are distinct from one another.

What do we do now?

We decide to develop this thesis: God has a special affection for the “lowly ones.”

How to develop your homily / sharing

• God has a certain bias.• He has a strong bias for the poor and the lowly

and those who are considered dregs of society.• The first reading exhorts the hapless poor, the

victims of war and violence, and for them to rejoice for the war will soon be over and peace is about to reign all over the land.

• This is meaningful to those who are tired of violence and bloodshed.

• The second reading consoles those “can’t-afford” people by saying that living in the Spirit assures them happiness and eternal life.

• Paul teaches that you cannot buy heaven and happiness.

• Heaven can be attained only by living in the Spirit.• Living in the Spirit is living moral lives, clean lives,

and purified lives.• Living in the Spirit is uncompromising to the

material world.• Living in the Spirit is simply living according to the

promptings of the Holy Spirit.

• The gospel reading indicates God’s affection for the “little ones” (the simple people).

• God reveals his secrets and wisdom to them. • God intentionally does not reveal the same to the

proud hearted and self-righteous. • To those who are hard up and coping with life,

Jesus invites them to come to him for rest.• Rest, pause, respite is the name of the game.• God truly loves you if you have time to rest, not

harassed by anything.

• In both the Old and the New Testaments, God has always favored the affected and disaffected.

• God has never condoned the abuses of the rich and the powerful.

• The poor may have committed many blunders (those may be the reasons why they are poor).

• But that is not reason enough why they should be oppressed.

• Here in the readings, the punishment of the oppressor is not indicated. In other places, yes.

• The readings are focused on giving hope to those who are impoverished and exhausted – by the ravages of war, – by the demands of too much materialism, and – by slave drivers and – by the meaningless religious practices and – by broken relationships.

• Hope is translated into – dismantling of war machineries and unjust systems – establishment of peace, – eternal life, rest, renewal, re-energizing, re-rooting, re-

claiming.

• For you who feel oppressed, depressed, bulldozed, forgotten, violated, deprived, abused, taken for granted, sick and tired of tirades, not listened to, God is coming to save you.

• So rejoice.

• The eucharist is the sacrament intended for God’s favorites, who listen to his message of hope.

• The eucharist is not for those who inflict sufferings on God’s favorites and those who are vain.

• The eucharist is for the lowly hearts, worthy of God’s revelation and for those who live in the Spirit.

Our Context of Sin and Grace

• Living in the flesh• Vainglory• Emphasis on external

appearance• No wisdom• Oppressed, harassed

• Living in the Spirit• Has spirituality• Nurtured by the Word of God• Open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit• Well-rested, relax

Suggested Songs

• Peace Prayer of St. Francis– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ8TGBB385c

• Come To Me– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID90ryPYU00

• Sharing– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1ij6D6EyeI