＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Zechariah 9:9-10

 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! 

Shout for joy, daughter of Jeru­salem! For your king is coming, just and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

 No more chariots in Ephraim, no more horses in Jerusalem, for he will do away with them. The warrior’s bow shall be broken when he dictates peace to the nations. He will reign from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

 

Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14

I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Romans 8:9, 11-13

Yet your existence is not in the flesh, but in the spirit, because the Spirit of God is within you. If you did not have the Spirit of Christ, you would not belong to him. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is within you, He who raised Jesus Christ from among the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies.

Yes, he will do it through his Spirit who dwells within you. Then, brothers, let us leave the flesh and no longer live according to it. If not, we will die. Rather, walking in the Spirit, let us put to death the body’s deeds so that we may live.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 11:25-30

 On that occasion Jesus said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise you, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to simple people. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.

 Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

 Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden is light.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

The prophet Zechariah speaks of a king not preoccupied with war riding in chariots and horses but with peaceoffering riding in the smooth pace of a donkey.

Accordingly, Paul told the Romans to free themselves from the demands of the body, which are burdensome unlike the flow of the spirit. Jesus offers the same ease of living by urging us to replace the heavy loads we carry with his gentle rest-giving yoke.

Reflect:

The world is busy finding ways to make life easy: advancing pain relievers, designing faster cars, updating internet speed for easier connections. Yet life becomes even more complicated with these innovations.

It is not a machine or a pill or an internet connection that eases our serious problems like relationships and faith crisis. God remains the best pain reliever, the fastest vehicle, and most advanced mode of connection.

The world can only offer outlets – passages that make us escape from our difficulties. The Lord, on the other hand, offers inlets – passages toward the source – to refresh and re-energize us.

Pray:

Pray for those who find life burdensome and has difficulty finding someone to be with them and lift them from their struggles.

Act:

Make yourself available to overworked and stressed family members, friends, or co-workers. Offer your listening ears and heart for them to ventilate so that they get new strength from you and God.