Matthew11: 25-30; I am meek and humble of heart

Sharing Guidelines
*Sharing is not a time for teaching or debate; it is a time to sense the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit who leads the gathering.
*Reflection sharing is not meant to teach others but to share the meaning you personally have discovered. Therefore, do not criticize or debate another person’s sharing. Avoid boasting of your own understanding or knowledge.
*Respect the grace of the Holy Spirit, who reveals the meaning of the Word while dwelling among us, and listen attentively to others’ sharing, holding it in your heart.
*Keep confidential any personal reflections or stories shared in the group; practicing brotherly love means not passing along private matters outside the meeting.
*When speaking, always use the first person singular (“I”). Be careful not to distance or generalize your story by using the third person (“he,” “they”) or the first person plural (“we”).
*Keep it short.

Reading 1
Zechariah 9:9-10
Thus says the LORD:
Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion,
shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king shall come to you;
a just savior is he,
meek, and riding on an ass,
on a colt, the foal of an ass.
He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim,
and the horse from Jerusalem;
the warrior’s bow shall be banished,
and he shall proclaim peace to the nations.
His dominion shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

-The Word of the Lord – Thanks be to God

Reading 2
Romans 8:9, 11-13
Brothers and sisters:
You are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Consequently, brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For 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.

-The Word of the Lord – Thanks be to God

Gospel
Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus exclaimed:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
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 wishes 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 meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

-The Gospel of the Lord -Praise to you Lord, Jesus Christ

Today’s Reflection

Today, Jesus invites us and promises to give us rest. He says, “I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Jesus said these words because His way of following God’s will was very different from the way the religious leaders taught.

The priests, teachers of the law, and Pharisees wanted to obey God’s commandments perfectly. Their desire to follow God’s law was good. However, they became so focused on the rules that they forgot the true meaning behind them.

One example was the Sabbath. The Jewish people worked very hard to keep the Sabbath laws. They were not allowed to light a fire, bake bread, sew clothes, or do many other everyday tasks. For poor people, these rules became a heavy burden. They may have wondered if God only wanted them to follow rules instead of experiencing His love.

Jesus came to remove that heavy burden. He showed that God is loving and merciful, not someone who wants to make life difficult. Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27)

Jesus teaches us that what matters most is not simply following rules, but loving God and loving others. When we live with a gentle and humble heart, we discover that following God is not a heavy burden but a path to true peace and rest. (김준철 토마스 아퀴나스 신부)


Sharing

1. Share a Word or Verse
What word, sentence, or part of today’s Gospel touched your heart the most? Why?

2. God’s Way vs. the World’s Way
How are God’s ways of saving us different from the world’s ways? How was Jesus’ teaching different from the ideas of the priests and teachers of the law?
What spiritual mistakes do you often make? What can you do to grow in love for God and others while also living God’s commandments?

3. Finding True Rest in Jesus
Today, Jesus invites everyone who is tired and carrying heavy burdens to come to Him.
Have you ever felt true peace and spiritual freedom as you grew closer to Jesus? On the other hand, have you ever felt empty or without peace when you became distant from Him?

What can you do to build a closer relationship with Jesus and enjoy the freedom He gives?

4. My Resolution
After reflecting on today’s Gospel, what is one thing you will do this week to follow Jesus more closely?