For several hundred years, before
the invention of the tractor, much of the power and muscle needed for farming
and logging came from oxen. These animals are capable of hauling huge loads and
they can budge heavy objects humans simply can't move. The secret to the power
of these magnificent animals is in the way that they are harnessed to the cargo.
For oxen, they are most often tied to their load by something called a yoke. A
yoke is a curved object made from hardwood that fits over the neck and head of
the animals. It allows the weight of the load to be distributed evenly over the
shoulders of one or two of these animals so that it can be pulled safely and
quickly.
But yokes are not one-size-fits-all. As a matter of
fact, each yoke would be made for the animal that was going to use it. The
carpenter would come and take general measurements. Then he would carve a yoke
that was roughly the right size and shape. After this, the ox would be brought
in and the yoke set on its shoulders. From here, the carpenter would fine-tune
the yoke until it fit the animal perfectly. Each yoke was unique and it was
made with the individual traits and physical characteristics of the particular
animal in mind. Oxen could carry numerous loads over many years so long as they
were given the proper yoke to haul them.
In today’s gospel, Jesus looks around and sees the
people of his time, who were indeed carrying many heavy burdens. The people of
Israel were controlled by a foreign power, the Roman army. Most of them were
poor, oppressed, and mistreated. After paying taxes to the Romans, they were
expected to contribute to the support of the Temple. And at the time of Jesus,
many scribes and Pharisees had made Judaism into a treacherous minefield of
complicated laws and regulations. As he looked around him, Jesus saw a people
heavily burdened, both physically and spiritually. And he speaks beautiful
words of comfort to them when he says: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and
I will give you rest.”
Christ sees the heavy load that people carry and he
has compassion on them. He knows the weight of human suffering and he offers relief and rest. Jesus offers a break from the heavy burdens this world
imposes and gives hope in the
midst of our suffering. The heaviness of the world’s burden weighs us down; its
yoke never fits us well. Some of us might feel its heaviness in the form of
alcoholism or pornography. Others may experience the yoke of this world through
hatred, lust, or greed. Still others spend a lifetime under the crushing force
of guilt and lack of forgiveness. Far too many people feel drained by the
unsatisfied desire to have newer and better things all of the time. They seek
fulfillment in bigger houses, faster cars, nicer TV’s but they never find
relief. Whatever the case, oftentimes
we ourselves allow
this weight to be hung around our own necks!!! Far too often we give in to
sin, we do our own will instead of God’s and we become a people who are weary
and heavily burdened. Worldly concern, suffering, and the effects of sin can
discourage and overwhelm us; they seem like a load too heavy for us to budge.
In today’s gospel, Jesus promises us relief;
he says to us today, “Come unto me - all you who
are tired - all you who are feeling
drained -all you who are feeling
empty - all you who are burdened by
a sense of disappointment - all you
who are exhausted by the struggles of life and I will give you rest.
That is the first part of what Jesus had to say. The second part is
this: "take my yoke upon you and learn from me." This seems like a
contradiction; only Jesus could promise rest from our burdens in one breath
then turn around and speak of taking up another burden and another yoke in the
next. We might be thinking to ourselves, “What I need is a vacation – some time
to rest - not more labor. However, what Jesus is telling us is that there is no
such thing as a burden-free life; here on earth we always have burdens. The
question is what KIND of burden we choose to carry.
Jesus has no interest in unburdening us completely from the cares and
concern of everyday life; that is simply impossible. Rather, he is interested
in lifting the burdens that drain us, that suck the life out of us, so he can
place one on them better fitted to us. He is interested in removing the harness
that the world and we forge for
ourselves so that he can place around our necks his own yoke, which ironically,
brings us new life, new energy, and new joy.
This is why Jesus offers us his yoke, which he promises will be
easy and the burden light. His yoke fits us perfectly; his yoke has been
specifically carved for each one of us and it enables us to carry the loads
of life that we thought were impossible to move. Christ promises us rest from
the constant worrying and struggle that this world imposes through consumerism,
materialism, and hedonism. If we seek his forgiveness in the sacrament of
reconciliation, if we are willing to come and place our trust in him, our
burdens of mind and spirit are healed and we are given rest from our anger,
guilt, and shame.
So what are we waiting for??? If you feel weary and burdened with the concerns of
this world, if you feel heavy in mind and in spirit, if the challenges of life
seem more than you can bear, then run to Christ who promises to make them lighter.
Allow him to remove that worldly yoke from around your neck and replace it with
his own. He assures us that it is light
and easy, and we know that it is
fashioned out of love and compassion. Take comfort and consolation in the words
of Our Lord today:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of
heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my
burden light.”
