Sunday, July 6, 2014

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

            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.”