14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 What a wonderful gift is offered by Our Lord when he says: "... and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."! (Mtt 11: 27) We know that as disciples that we have been chosen. After hearing some of the hard teachings about the cost and expectations of discipleship in the last couple of Sundays we are given a privileged insight into the great mystery of the Holy Trinity. This can be described, inadequately, as a  synthesis of infinite, unadulterated, amazing and creative love that encompasses "all things." As missionary disciples, commissioned by baptism, we are invited to share in that love. This includes those, especially, who are weary, carry heavy burdens and are restless: "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mtt 11: 30) The goal of our discipleship is not world domination, social popularity, worldly prosperity or fame, rather is it a life united to and transformed by the love of God which culminates in divinization. This life is a participation in Christ's victory over sin and death and we live this already in the sacraments. We can be tempted to despair or to embrace the vain promises of the world which the baptismal promises refer to as Satan's "empty show." We face the ongoing challenge and spiritual warfare to authentically witness to the promise we have been given and the Spirit we have received: "My sisters and brothers, you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you." (Rm 8: 9) All Catholics are called to stay true to their faith in trying times with abortion, euthanasia and other threats to human dignity and religious freedom. Saint Paul admonished the Galatians and it also holds true for us: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary  in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith." (Gal 6: 7-10)