Today's Gospel Reading

Let's meditate on the Gospel reading of today:

Matthew 11:28-30 ©
Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

Reflection:
Today's Gospel reading tells us that Jesus Christ is the solution to whatever trials, temptations, troubles, difficulty, challenges etc. we may be facing in this life. Also, He is the source of all our needs in this life be it physical, spiritual, mental or material, we can get all things in Jesus Christ. In addition, whatever adversary or evil we may be facing here on earth we can always overcome by the blood of the lamb “Jesus Christ". Since He has overcome the devil in the past we can also do so through him. 1 Cor 10:13 says that it is normal for we to face challenges in this life, but God does not abandon us - He ALWAYS provide a way out & will not allow us to be tested beyond our limit. Psalm 118: 5 says “in my distress I called to the lord & He answered & set me free". 2 Cor 12:9 says “My grace is enough for you, my power is greatest when you are weak". Romans 8:31 says if God is for us who can be against us? Verse 37 of the same chapter of Romans says “yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us". Romans 10:13 says “for whoever calls on the name of the lord shall be saved". Finally, Luke 11:9 says “ask & you will receive; seek & you will find; knock & the door will be opened to you". How can we then benefit from the assurances of these scriptural passages? The answer is already provided by Jesus Christ in today's Gospel reading - Come to me...and I will give you rest. The problem today is that we are so much overcome by the stress of work and other trivial things, the worries, trials & tribulations of this life that we forget the invitation by our friend Jesus Christ to come to him and rest. Even though we may not see the need, He desires our companionship, He is hungry for our souls, hence, we should frequently go to Him and also lead others to Him. The question today is how do we go to Jesus Christ? This is where the Church comes in. The Church has provided lots of avenues for we to meet Jesus Christ - this is done chiefly through reception of the Sacraments. We should frequently attend Mass and receive the Holy Communion as it is the main way we can go to Jesus Christ. We should also form an habit of visiting Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament & spending about an hour with Him in Eucharistic adoration. The practise of group recitation of the Holy Rosary is also advisable, as it contains the prayer Jesus himself taught us. He also says that “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst" (Matthew 18:20).

Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your invitation to come to you today. May I not be so busy in this life and miss this daily appointment with you, so that on the last day I will also be invited to that eternal banquet in heaven. This is my prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Antony Mary Zaccaria (1502 - 1539)

 He was born in Cremona in Lombardy and started by studying medicine, but soon decided to become a priest instead and was ordained in 1528. He founded the Congregation of Clerks Regular of St Paul, generally known as the Barnabites (after the church that was their headquarters), whose aim was the reform of the clergy and laity. He was part of the general movement to self-reform in a Church that was coming increasingly under attack from the Protestant Reformation.

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St. Oliver Plunkett (1625-1681)

England, Ireland: 1 Jul

Arundel & Brighton: 2 Jul

Oliver Plunkett was born in County Meath in 1625, and died at Tyburn in 1681. 

Little is known about his early life except that he was educated privately by a Cistercian cousin, Dr. Patrick Plunkett, who eventually became Bishop of Meath. Ordained in Rome in 1654, he was professor at the college of Propaganda Fidei until 1669, when he was appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland. He held synods and visitations and promoted the reforms initiated by the Council of Trent. It was a time when persecution was less severe, though he would often have to dress as a layman. 

In 1673 the English Parliament forced the king, Charles II, to behave more strictly towards Catholics, and edicts were issued banning bishops and all religious from Ireland. For the next few years he was able to continue his work clandestinely and was even able to hold a provincial synod. Despite the danger he went to visit his uncle, Bishop Plunkett, who was dying. He was arrested and imprisoned in Dublin Castle in 1679, he was tried on the extraordinary charge of having planned to bring seventy thousand French troops into Ireland. There was clearly no hope of a successful conviction in Ireland. He was taken to London and duly found guilty of the charge. He was executed in London, the final victim of the ‘Popish Plot’ and the last person to be executed for the faith in England. He is remembered for his pastoral zeal and for the friendly relations he established with those who did not share the Catholic faith. His body rests at Downside Abbey, his head at Drogheda.

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