14th Sunday Ordinary Time
Fr. Mark Gatto
Preached: July 9, 2023
What image of Jesus would you like the Church to show the world? What image of Jesus would we want people to experience in our parish? What image of Jesus do you reflect to others as a Catholic?
This week our seminarian, William Meehan, who is doing his seminary studies in Rome has been ordained a Deacon. He will be returning to our parish next week for the summer. As a Deacon he will be preaching at Sunday Masses, he will be able to celebrate Baptisms, and Funerals without Mass. As he continues his formation for the priesthood, it causes me to think, what image of Jesus should a parish priest reflect?
We hear Jesus call out in our Gospel today, “Come to me, all you that are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…. for I am gentle and humble of heart.”
This is a great image of Jesus for the church to show the world today. A church in which people hear Jesus calling, “Come to me.” A church with a gentle and humble heart.
This is also the image of Jesus I would hope our parish would reflect to people, a parish that is reflecting Jesus saying, “Come to me, all you that are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
This is also a good image for a parish priest. One through whom people hear Jesus calling to them, “Come to me, all you that are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…. for I am gentle and humble of heart.” My hope for any seminarian is that they will become a priest who is gentle and humble of heart and a priest who ministers so that people hear Jesus calling to them, “Come to me.”
This should also be an image of Jesus that each of you try to reflect in your life as a Catholic. People should hear Jesus saying, “Come to me for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls.” They should hear that through your words, through your care, through your listening, through your actions, through your smile, through your presence.
In our world, in our parish, in our families, where we work, who need to hear Jesus calling to give them rest? Someone facing sickness or approaching death. In fact, this Gospel is often used with the Sacrament of the Sick. A person who has gone through a difficult divorce. Someone who has just lost their job. Someone grieving the death of a loved one. A person dealing with depression. Someone who is struggling with their faith. A person who has been betrayed or hurt by a friend or family member.
Each one of us need to hear Jesus calling to us in our hearts, “Come to me, all you that are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…. for I am gentle and humble of heart.” Only if we listen to Jesus speaking this in our hearts can we then be people who help others to hear the gentle and humble Jesus speaking to their hearts.
