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The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

The Prophet Zechariah says in today’s liturgy: “Rejoice heartily … See, your king shall come to you, a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt.” (Zech 9:9) He depicts the future restoration of Jerusalem under the Messiah: Israel’s king.

In saying so, Zechariah tells us that the Messiah will come not as a conquering warrior but in lowliness, in meekness, in peace. This is unlike the previous kings of Israel who rode in chariots and on horses. In fact, Matthew saw a literal fulfillment of his prophecy when Jesus entered Jerusalem (Cf. Matthew 21:1-5).

So what’s the point? The point is paramount! In Jesus’ day, the Jews were expecting for the coming Messiah to be a political warrior, a mighty king, who would overthrow the Romans with might and sword, allowing Israel to become a worldly, political kingdom as of old when Solomon sat upon the throne.

Not so, says Zechariah. For, the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel will be significantly different.

Jesus alludes to Zechariah’s description of “meek” in today’s Gospel as he describes himself as “meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). To be meek means to be (1) patient and (2) long-suffering.

Today’s psalm depicts this theme: “The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. The LORD is good to all, compassionate to every creature … The LORD supports all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145).

Jesus is humility incarnate; quite a distance from the proud and arrogant rulers of this world. The countenance of God is manifested wholly and entirely in the person of Jesus. When we look at Jesus, we see the very nature of God himself: divine mercy. His rule is extended, not in might and force, but in humble submission to the will of the Father, loving to the point of pouring out one’s own life upon the bloodied cross, in the face of scorn and ridicule.

In today’s second reading, Saint Paul minces no words. He clearly outlines the responsibility of the Christian to pursue holiness: “If you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Rom 8:13).

The Christian life is simple. It consists in becoming other Christs. That is, we allow the Spirit of God – the Holy Spirit, the very life of Jesus Christ – to change our very selves. We cast off the old self, the mightily proud nature, and we clothe ourselves with the humility of long-suffering, of patience, of virtuous love to the point of abandonment of self for the sake of the other. This is Jesus’ path. This is the Christian program of life.