In the first reading, the prophet Zechariah foretells the coming of the Messianic King who will put an end to war and establish lasting peace. This King comes to Zion humbly, riding on a donkey, as a messenger of peace. This prophecy was fulfilled on Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem unarmed and defenseless. Yet, although Jesus carried no weapons, He was far from weak. His strength was greater than any earthly power because He had the power to transform human hearts. Time and again throughout the Gospel, Jesus changed lives not by force, but by love, mercy, and truth.<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s Gospel, Jesus says to us, \u201cLearn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.\u201d<\/em> Humility and meekness do not seem to be valued in today\u2019s world, where success is often measured by power, influence, and self-promotion. But meekness is not weakness; it is true strength. It takes a confident and mature person to remain gentle when faced with criticism, anger, or injustice. Likewise, humility is the foundation of the spiritual life. It is not thinking less of ourselves, but recognizing that every gift and blessing we have comes from God and should be used for His glory and the service of others.<\/p>\n To the meek and humble, Jesus promises peace of heart. Perhaps the reason there is so much conflict in our families, workplaces, communities, and even within ourselves is that we often seek to control, dominate, or always have the last word. Pride creates division, while humility builds unity. Proud and arrogant people often spread their own anger and frustrations to those around them, making life burdensome for themselves and others. In contrast, those who are gentle and humble bring healing, understanding, and peace wherever they go.<\/p>\n As we come to the Eucharist today, let us ask the Lord to give us hearts like His\u2014meek, humble, and full of compassion. In our homes, let us choose forgiveness instead of resentment. In our workplaces, let us choose cooperation instead of competition. In our parish, let us choose service instead of seeking recognition. When we learn from Christ and imitate His humility, we become instruments of His peace, and we discover the true rest that only He can give. May others recognize Christ in us through the gentleness of our words, the humility of our actions, and the love we show each day. Amen.<\/p>\n Scripture Readings:<\/strong> In the first reading, the prophet Zechariah foretells the coming of the Messianic King who will put an end to war and establish lasting peace. This King comes to Zion humbly, riding on a donkey, as a messenger of peace. This prophecy was fulfilled on Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem unarmed and defenseless. Yet, although Jesus carried no weapons, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weekly-homilies"],"yoast_head":"\n
Zec 9:9\u201310 \u2022 Ps 145 \u2022 Rom 8:9, 11\u201313 \u2022 Mt 11:25\u201330<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"