2026 Cycle A - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Zech 9:9-10; Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14; Romans  8:9, 11-13; Matt 11:25-30

Homily Theme

‘Praise’ and ‘Blessings’

Several times in the Psalm response we will tell God that we will Praise His name forever. In the body of the psalm we will also tell God that we will bless Him forever. I am sure that most of us know how to Praise God but how do we Bless God?   Most Catholics have no problem asking for blessings on themselves and their religious objects. But have we ever really thought about how we bless God? At every Mass we respond to the priest, as he offers the bread and, wine with the words, “Blessed be God forever.”  How do you understand what that means? 

In the Gospel today, we will hear the words, “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. Many years ago, when I was newly ordained, a small child asked me to bless his rosary.  I didn’t want him to think it was something magic, so I asked him “what will that do to your rosary”.  He replied in his innocence, “God will have touched it.” God revealed this to a mere little one.

That is the most beautiful description of a blessing that I have ever heard, before or since that day. When we are blessed it applies to us also. God will have touched us.  So when we bless God, He is touched by us.  Remember the Gospel story of the woman who reached out and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched me.?” It drew power out of him and healed her. Whenever I think of a blessing now, I always think of that touch.  When we are blessed,, God touches us, when we bless God, He is touched by us. Remember this each time you say at Mass, “Blessed be God forever.” Reach out and touch Him.

In the readings today we will hear about joyful praise of God.  That never fails to touch God.  This Sunday let us give joyful praise to God as we give and receive

Blessings.