July 5, 2020
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
We are all familiar with the refrain, “You have put on Christ. In him you have been baptized. Alleluia, alleluia!” In Baptism, we “put on” Christ. In putting on Christ, we put on all that Christ is and represents: hope, faith, and love. We are no longer bound to the sins and failures of the flesh, that part of us that resists God and relies exclusively on human means. It also means that we are not in debt to our past, complete with its sins, failures, regrets, fears, and unfulfilled dreams. There is always hope. In putting on Christ, we put on God’s vision for the world, for all of His children and for us. We have been given a road map to guide our paths and a blueprint to follow for our life’s journey.
There is no need for regret, and we are not tethered to our past. Is there anything in your past that you regret? Any decision or memory that continues to haunt you? We have all made mistakes, and we have this uncanny ability to continue beating ourselves up over things we can no longer do anything about, except learn from them. To put on Christ means that I can now bring God’s unconditional love to my hurtful memories and sinful choices. With each new moment and every new choice, I can start clean and live in freedom.
Imagine adults when the disciples were preaching and baptizing. They came to baptism not really knowing who they were, with pasts that were broken, seeking to live the joy of the Gospel they heard spoken to them and wanting the love they saw witnessed in the lives of those who believed. What tremendous celebrations their baptisms must have been! They could now have the support of a community, full participation in the sacraments of the church, focus for their disordered lives, consolation, healing, and an understanding of what life is really all about.
Our lives are meant to be celebrations of the Spirit we have received in Baptism. How does that joy get expressed in and through you? When we truly understand that we have put on Christ, our burdens can become much lighter. It is odd that so many Christians look like they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if those weights could be lifted and joy experienced!
©LPi
MEDITACIÓN EVANGÉLICO
5 de Julio de 2020
14º Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario
El domingo pasado, la lectura del Evangelio retaba al creyente a tomar la cruz y seguir a Jesús, ahora, la invitación es reposar en quien podemos confiar y profundizar en amistad. Es el amigo íntimo que nunca falla, está ahí en las buenas y en las no tan buenas. Ahora, Jesús nos invita a ir a él. “Vengan a mí los que van cansados, llevando pesadas cargas, y yo los aliviaré. Carguen con mi yugo y aprendan de mí, que soy paciente y humilde de corazón, y sus almas encontrarán descanso. Pues mi yugo es suave y mi carga liviana”. (Mateo 11:28-30). La palabra yugo significa sujetar y dar dirección, ya sea a mulas o bueyes para trabajar.
Muy distinto es el yugo del que habla Jesús en esta ocasión. Muchas manos trabajando juntas por la justicia logran grandes cosas. Juntos, para hacer tareas maravillosas en la misión del Evangelio. Cuando nos unimos a Jesús es que la carga es ligera y suave, porque la cargamos todos y él nos sostiene. En una enfermedad, en familia juntos lo podemos todo. El ministerio no se hace aislado, se trabaja en equipo, nadie es número uno. En la familia los esposos están atados al yugo de la mancuerna de su sí el día de su boda. Esa mancuerna es lo suave del matrimonio para dar dirección y apoyo a los hijos. El trabajo es duro, demandante y a veces imposible de hacer. Entonces, aprendamos y tomemos el yugo de Jesús. Él es el único camino, el da a lo difícil un nuevo comienzo y se logra con la oración y la intimidad con Jesucristo.
©LPi