Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 4-5, 2026

  In today's Gospel, Jesus says that the Father has revealed to the meek and humble of the world those things that the wise and the learned cannot comprehend. These "things" that Jesus refers to are the collection of works and teachings over the course of his ministry in Galilee and Jerusalem. Jesus then invites all those who are labored and burdened to rest in him. Those who live in the flesh, Saint Paul proclaims, cannot experience the Spirit. They do not hear the call that the Father makes in Jesus to live for others, and instead pursue their own interests and comforts. Some Old Testament prophets distinguished between those whose hearts were hardened from those who were willing to open their hearts to the warmth of the word of God. In these passages, we learn that not only does God ask us to receive his mercy, but we are also called to be open and ready to share it with others. Christ invites us to carry our burdens with his help, and to live in his Spirit with the hope that our life and death may find meaning in him. We too shall rise with Christ, who has lived and risen from amongst us. How can we apply the texts of today's Gospel to the pastoral life of our communities? Think about how it may apply to all ministers—youth group leaders, those who visit the sick, lectors, catechists, and for priests and deacons in their homilies.

(This reflection is from www.liturgy.com subscription service)