Vangeli per le Famiglie - XIV Domenica - Anno A - "L'Onnipotenza dell'Umiltà" - 05/07/26

www.chiesadomestica.org From the Gospel according to Matthew Mt 11:25-30 At that time, Jesus said: "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the understanding and revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, for this is what you have purposed. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The word of the Lord. ______________________________________________ Dearly beloved, An old adage framed in a painting that dominated the desk in the Spiritual Director's office in the Roman Seminary's summer villa went like this: "The truly worthy person never boasts." St. Augustine, commenting on today's Gospel, says, addressing the nuns of the Augustinian Order he founded: "Jesus wanted to define himself as a master of only one thing: humility." Personally, in my experience, I can say that in my career I have met and spoken with some of the greatest geniuses of our time, at least in the scientific field, including two Nobel Prize winners in Physics. What has always struck me about these people is their natural humility, always willing to listen and learn. An intellectual humility that has taught me so much and that reminds me of Socrates' words: "The more you know, the more you realize you don't know." On the other hand, for us believers, if the Word of God, the Supreme Wisdom, chose to define himself as a Master of Humility, it means that there is a kind of equation, a sort of identity between Wisdom and Humility. This is the light yoke of Divine Wisdom that in today's Gospel Jesus teaches us to take upon ourselves. The yoke of Wisdom that humbles us in the image of Christ and therefore enables us to bear burdens out of love for our brothers and sisters. Those who are not humble do not serve; those who are not humble do not sacrifice themselves for others. And the image of the yoke helps us understand the apparent paradox of the final words of today's Gospel. Jesus invites those who feel tired and oppressed by the toil of loving to come to him for refreshment. And refreshment is this: not that of removing the burden of service on which the life and happiness of those entrusted to our care depend. This is not a luxury we can afford. Refreshment is something else. Knowing that since the yoke is always two-seater, the other place is always already occupied by Christ. We are not alone when we humbly take on the burden of others. Since we are trying to imitate Christ, He is always beside us. One last note. In the Gospel, Jesus always says to do not only what the Father tells him to do, but to do what he saw his Father do. Usually, we never think about it. But there is no Person other than his Son who is as humble as God the Father. He is the Almighty Lord of the Universe, whose immensity and complexity we are increasingly understanding, the One who not only created it but has continued to sustain it in existence for billions of years, yet He does so without anyone noticing, so much so that there are atheists who think He doesn't even exist. Can one be more humble? It is the Omnipotence of Humility... Hugs GF