Monsignor Enrique Díaz Díaz shares with Exaudi readers his reflection on the  Gospel of this Sunday, July 5, 2026,   entitled:  “ And you will find rest for your souls .”

Zechariah 9:9-10:  “See, your king is coming humbly to you.”

Psalm 144:  “Remember, Lord, your mercy”

Romans 8, 9. 11-13:  “If by the Spirit you put to death the sinful desires of the body, you will live.”

Matthew 11:25-30:  “I am gentle and humble in heart”

Our world seems to be falling apart. Mistrust is sown, and situations of anguish and discontent are widespread. In Mexico, the entire country is shaken by the exaggerated celebrations of a World Cup that fail to drown out the pain and anguish of the disappeared, nor the demands for security and justice. The world suffers from wars, demonstrations, and supposed controls. The fighting continues despite global protests, or the indifference shown by the protracted conflicts in many other regions of the world. Economic crises, social crises, power crises, family crises, crises of values. Every day more migrants face rejection and discrimination, every day more hunger, every day more insecurity… Is there no other way for our world?

Faced with this uncertain and confusing world, the jubilant cries of the prophet Zechariah resonate as if out of context:  “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout aloud, Daughter Jerusalem!”  It’s not that the Israelite people are enjoying periods of peace and prosperity; they are living through times of great insecurity and distrust toward the future. But it is God himself who asks his people to rejoice, to sing, because he is approaching, just and victorious. He does not come to them riding on warhorses or in an armed chariot, but humbly, riding on a donkey. Leaving aside the expressions of a powerful God who destroys enemies with a mighty arm, today the Messiah is announced to us, breaking down the structures of power and war to build a peace that will extend to the ends of the earth. It is the construction of a new world and new structures. War chariots have no place among brothers; Warhorses are incompatible with the pursuit of harmony, and the warrior’s bows do not threaten the lives of those who share our blood. The joy that Zechariah proclaims is based on a new way of thinking and new relationships.

Saint Paul, also optimistic, affirms that it is possible to overcome humanity’s selfish disorder and live according to the Spirit. He is aware that sin is growing and has placed humanity under its yoke, making us live as captives and slaves, subject to its law and its wages. But the Resurrection of Jesus gives us new life and frees us from this slavery; therefore,  we are no longer “subject to humanity’s selfish disorder to make that disorder our rule of conduct.”  And his words resonate prophetically and threateningly: if we live according to that  “disorder,”  we will certainly be destroyed. This is the dilemma and the threat that loom over humanity today: we need to radically transform the foundations and structures of society in order not to perish. We cannot continue to be guided by the criteria of the world, of power, of money. The values ​​we sow in the hearts of children are bearing fruit. And we acknowledge that we have been dazzled by false values ​​that do not bring true happiness and that cause rivalries, bloodshed, ambition, and selfishness. It is time for profound change, both personally and in society, both in the international community and within the family. Saint Paul assures us that if we allow ourselves to be guided by the Spirit, we will certainly live.

In the Gospel, Jesus transmits a new peace and security to us through his prayer and his invitations. He is not the all-powerful king the Israelites expected, nor the priest who comes to restore the temple’s grandeur, nor the extraordinary ruler who solves all the people’s problems. He understands and lives power as service and self-giving; the priesthood as the sanctification of the person; and the kingship as a dignified life for all equally. He builds it from the bottom up, starting with the lowly, the humble, and the peaceful. Only with humility and peace can the cycle of violence be broken. But the peaceful and humble are not, as some might mistakenly believe, passive, spineless, lacking spirit, passion, indifference, or emotionlessness. We need only look at Jesus: when he is proclaimed king upon entering Jerusalem, he rides a donkey, but he does not hesitate to dismount, take up the whip, and lash out at those who have dared to desecrate the temple. He strongly rebukes those who profit from faith and worship. His heart burns with zeal for the house of the Lord, “the temple and sacred precinct that is each person.” Thus Christ tells us that the meek are not resigned and incapable of facing problems, but rather those who make bold decisions in the face of injustice. If one is unwilling to face challenges and fight passionately for justice, one cannot call oneself meek or humble: one will be irresponsible and indifferent.

Jesus’ prayer of thanksgiving has this profound meaning: the simplest and most humble are those who commit themselves to the truth. The wise and learned, according to the world, manipulate feelings, seek advantages, and abuse their strength. Christ has always chosen the poor and simple; this is easy to see in his Gospel. Today he invites the weary and burdened to place their hearts close to his to find relief. His prayer and his invitation are a path to break the cycle of violence and to nurture the hope that it is possible to build a world with different ways of being, with different ideals, and founded on love and service. He offers us not only his example, but also invites us to attune our aching and confused hearts to his to regain calm and peace. If we draw near to him and follow his ideals, we can find peace and harmony despite the serious challenges and difficulties we must face.

What values ​​does the world want to impose on me that are not in accordance with Jesus’ ideal? With Jesus, it is possible to break the cycle of violence. How can I commit myself in my daily life to building this new world?

Good Father, we praise and bless you because you have shown a special love and predilection for the lowly and humble. We beseech you to give us a free and courageous heart to build the new humanity with your son Jesus. Amen.