14th Sunday in Ordinary Time -A

Matthew 11:25-30 –I am very familiar with this Gospel passage. I use this particular passage from the Scripture in my funeral masses. I could even close my eyes and say this aloud during the mass. But I never thought this same Gospel passage would bring new meaning to my life as a priest. Truly, the Word of God is not only for intellectual giants who studied the Sacred Scripture in its original language or text. ("I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to infants) It has been almost three months that many friends approached me and disclosed their problems or burden in life. One’s sister and nephew were murdered; another’s daughter was raped. Then there was a good man who lost his job; and a beautiful woman whose husband abandoned them. There were more others who came for counselling but I referred them to other priests because I was already emotionally affected and experienced depression. Almost all of them would ask me, “If God exists, then where is He?” or “Why evil things happen to good people?” I could have given them some intelligent answers but I believe my answers would only cause disrespect to their shared experience and feelings. So I asked them to just pray. I know they were disappointed with this advice as they expected some higher wisdom from their priest. I just comforted myself with the thought that not all problems in life could be solved anyway. So in troubled times like those, better pray. (Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.) For almost three months, I have asked God why we still have problems despite we serve the Church or dedicate ourselves to Him in whatever ways we best fit in. It is only then I realized that Jesus Himself did not say God will solve all our problems or there will be no more problems once we believe in Him. Rather, Jesus acknowledged that there would be problems in life, big and small. God would not take them away from us. But He offers us Himself, He who can give us rest. The moment we take a rest in God, we restore our lost energy. In other words, though God does not give us problems; He gives us strength to deal with our problems. (Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.) Moreover, problems resulted from murder, rape, reckless imprudence resulting to homicide, etc. have irreversible effects to the victims. One cannot restore to life the person he killed. One cannot take away the stigma or trauma of rape from the victim. One cannot just say sorry after abandoning his family in misery for almost 50 years. One cannot easily forget the physical, psychological and emotional abuses she or he underwent. Problems like these could make one think of revenge, suicide, or whatever injurious to oneself and others. Jesus knew this. He asked us that in case we find ourselves in one of these most difficult situations, we have to be like Him (Christ-like), to be gentle to ourselves and to others. We have to be lowly in heart by acknowledging that we could not use full control over our life and liberty. Of course, this is difficult! It is difficult to entrust to God everything and have faith in what we call His Divine Justice. But if we could do so, our conscience is clear, and our soul is at peace. (Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.) My dear friends in Christ, Jesus left us a Christian way of looking at our problems or of dealing with life’s burdens. Problems in life is inevitable. Whether the problem is big or small, it does not matter. What matters most is the strength we need to face it. Small problem becomes heavier when we run out of energy or when we do not have enough strength to carry on. Thereof, we need to recharge ourselves with the energy which comes from God through Christ who gives us strength. (For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.) I end with this story of Frank Mihalic, SVD: A little boy had broken his leg and had to use a crutch. Sometimes he forgot about it and tried to run and then he would fall and hurt himself. How he hated that crutch! But his grandfather understood. So one night, while the boy was in bed, the old man painted the crutch red. In the morning the boy was astounded. He loved red. Now he was proud to show off that crutch. After the red had worn off, the boy woke up one morning to find a little bell attached to the hand bar. It tinkled whenever he walked, and people could even hear him coming. Now he enjoyed his handicap, his crutch. That boy grew up to become a doctor, who still has a slight limp from his childhood accident. He keeps the little red crutch hanging on the wall of his office. Sometimes it gives him an excuse to pass on to a patient his grandfather’s idea that a burden is carried more easily if we take pride in carrying it.