FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
JULY 5/6, 2014
Most of us didn’t grow up on farms and consequently it could be easy for us to miss the significance of Jesus reference in today’s Gospel readying. He tells us to come to him when life gets burdensome and HE will give us rest. Then He says :Take My yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart. And you will find rest. For MY yoke is easy, and my burden light.
Twice in that brief reading Jesus refers to a Yoke.. And it is a very interesting image. How many times have we heard that reading, but have we ever stopped to consider what a yoke is? First of all, they are wooden and are carefully formed and shaped to minimize any chafing that may occur when the oxen are pulling their heavy loads. Jesus says MY yoke is easy – specifically designed for you to minimize the burdens of life. Certainly that heaviness will come along, but we have divine yoke to help us carry them.
The second thing to notice is that a yoke is not designed for one but for two! The yoke makes the oxen a team to pull together. This passage shows us that our partner in that yoke is Jesus Himself. When we are overburdened and find life wearisome, we need not carry the load by ourselves.
God however never forces the yoke upon us. We only need to invite Jesus to help us. And that help comes in ways we least expect it. Sometimes it is from someone close to us, and sometimes from a stranger. At times it is something we hear or something we read. Sometimes it is in the soothing sounds of music or the beauty of a clear blue sky. Whatever it is it is uniquely designed to minimize the chafing effect life can have upon us.
So come to me all you who find life burdensome. For my yoke is easy and my burden light!!