Breaking the Word

15^th Week in Ord. Time, Thursday – 14^th July 2022 — Gospel: Mt 11,28-30

Invitation for Discipleship

Jesus not only reads the minds and hearts of people but empathizes with the struggles and hardships of his own people, which are experienced through work, tribulations, and other burdens. He offers himself to be available to unload their burden. He promises rest, renewal, and refreshment to all who come to Him and learn from Him. All they need to do is to exchange their yokes with Him. Those who are burdened should approach Him; they should take the first step. In earlier times, yoke described the relationship between the slave and master. But Jesus gave new significance, yoke turned out the disciple and master relationship.  In this way, Jesus invites them to enter into a relationship with Him and to follow Him. The fact that Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden is light doesn’t affirm that Jesus’ discipleship is easy and undemanding. Discipleship demands life-commitment and a total self-denial.

15^th Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 13^th July 2022 — Gospel: Mt 11,25-27

Gratuitous gift of Knowledge

Though Jesus experienced much rejection, many also accepted his preaching and received him. For this reason, Jesus gives thanks to his Father, addressing him as “Lord of heaven and earth” and blending the same intimacy and reverence experienced in the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus expresses gratitude that God reveals the way of the Kingdom to “infants”, those who are humble and realize their dependence on God, rather than to those who are proud and consider themselves clever and smart. This unique bond between Jesus and his Father is the source of power and authority. This relationship delivers him knowledge directly from the Father, in contrast to the scribes and the rabbis whose tradition is on the human level alone (Mt 7,28-29; 15,1-20). Jesus is not pictured as a religious genius who has discovered the divine mystery, but as the beloved Son who is on an intimate union with God the Father. In the same way, only the unpretentious little ones, who make no claims about themselves, who are in union with the Father or the Son, will be given the gift of knowledge gratuitously.