14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

There are only a few times in the gospels when we hear Jesus praying and today’s gospel is one of them. How He prays, of course, is the way we ought to pray. And His prayer is one of gratitude.  He thanks His Father.  He gives praise to His Father.  He rejoices in the relationship they have and the fact that the Father has chosen to bring His disciples into that same relationship.

When we give thanks and praise to God, God is glorified and we are set free from all that holds us down and distracts us from God’s love and will for us.  Prayers of praise and gratitude puts our priorities in order.  Gratitude is the best starting point for looking at our lives as we consider what comes next.  Jesus shows us the way even when He prays.

Following His prayer, Jesus invites us to come to Him. His words here are among the most consoling and wisest words in the gospels. At all times and in every way, we ought to go to Jesus so as to be united with Him.  When we do that, we will find rest.  We will learn from Him.  We will be given a share in His meekness and His humility.  With God all things are possible, and when we join ourselves to Jesus, when we take His yoke upon ourselves, we will have a peace and strength that is beyond anything the world or anyone else can offer us.

When Jesus prays to His Father, He calls His disciples “little ones.”  We have to become little ones.  We have to become like children.  Children are not wise; they know they need their parents or others to do for them what they cannot do for themselves.  Children, without thinking too much about it, know that they will be cared for and provided with what they need.  Little ones don’t hesitate to trust those who love them.  All of that is what we have to do when we go to Jesus.

Today’s gospel offers three keys to the life that the Lord desires for us: gratitude, surrender to Jesus, and trust in the Lord. All of that will keep us little and safe within God’s will for us.