Dwell in the Spirit - Missionary Commentary for Sunday, July 9, 2023

Sunday Readings via USCCB
Zechariah 9:9-10
Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14
Romans 8:9, 11-13
Matthew 11:25-30

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Are we “little ones” and what does it mean that the Spirit of God dwells within us?

We are little ones when we stand before God in our poverty. St. Therese of Lisieux, a patron saint for mission, talked about the little way. She was deeply aware that she could not comprehend all that the “wise and the learned” knew. The Spirit revealed to her the “little way.” Reach for God like a child reaches for her mother. God does not want to see our accomplishments, bank account, or resumes. God wants to see our dependence of him. 

We reach for God when we yoke ourselves to Jesus, when we accompany him wherever he wants us to go, when we learn from him, and entrust our labor and our burdens to him. There is no daylight between the Son and the Father. The Father gives Jesus “all things” and only Jesus knows the Father. Jesus wishes to reveal the Father to those who labor and are burdened. He is meek and humble of heart and the heart of God is faithfulness, mercy, and compassion. 

The Spirit of God dwells within us when our poverty, our littleness, opens us to absolute dependence on the mercy of God. That mercy has a face. Jesus. We need to keep our eyes on him. But Jesus is not just an image. He has hands, feet, and a heart. We need to grasp his hand when we need to be pulled up. We need to learn from him – from his heart as well as his teachings – and walk in his footsteps. We need to seek our refreshment in him, and him alone. Jesus, the wisdom of the Father, is the king we need, the king we really want. He will bring peace to us and to all nations.

Notes on the Sunday Readings

First Reading
The prophet Zechariah calls the people to rejoice because a new type of king is coming – one that is meek and who will bring peace to all nations.
Psalm
God is our king and God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, compassionate, faithful. Our king lifts those who fall, raises up those who are bowed down.

Second Reading
Three times St. Paul reminds us that the Spirit of God dwells in us which frees us from the limitations of sin and will transform our mortal bodies for new life.

Gospel
Jesus is on mission. In this leg of his journey, the disciples of John the Baptist come to talk with him. Earlier, Jesus witnesses to John’s role in salvation history and reproaches those towns, where he worked miracles, for their lack of repentance.  Now, he praises his Father for his “gracious will” who reveals to “the little ones” his wisdom. He welcomes all who labor and are burdened. In all of this, Jesus reveals that he is the wisdom of the Father. He welcomes everyone. Jesus will refresh us, teach us, and accompany us in and through his mission.  

Connections

Go Forth… is a shared journey of discipleship filled with opportunity:

Visit our online Mission Cafe with a friend for casual, insightful faith sharing -  register now for July 10 and the summer series. Drop by whenever you can!

You can get the most up-to-date information about Go Forth … at our webpage –https://uscatholicmission.org/go-forth.

Be sure to subscribe to Go Forth… our podcast. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Join us for Mission Consult: Communication Tools and Best Practices on Thursday, July 20 at 2pm ET.  Lisa Helene Bacalski, our communications specialist, will provide an overview of how tools and intentional strategies can provide focus and improve outreach efforts for mission. Register now!

Please pray for the missions.

God bless you in all the ways you Go Forth…