My yoke is easy and my burden light: The 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Readings for the Fourteenth Sunday

What if we were created to be something other than angry, tired, lonely and bored? What if our true nature was peace, wisdom and love of others?  What we love defines us and forms us. St. Mother Teresa said,

“I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”

-St. Theresa of Calcutta

 Our ultimate aim is not to be against people but for them. Not against the Klu Klux Klan and racists, but for love of neighbor. Not against abortionists, but for the life of every single born and unborn American. The Declaration of Independence, signed by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776 proclaimed,

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

 Yes, we don’t support the Klan or Planned Parenthood. We do love and support human beings even those who are at odds with us over some very important human concerns. We are made for love, not anger, weariness, loneliness and boredom. We are meant to build community, not burn it down. Our lives are fruitful and happier if we understand that our basic orientation in life is to love who Christ loved, for we are yoked side-by-side to him.

Thanksgiving prayer
The Gospel today begins with Jesus praying, that is, talking directly to the Father. There are a few examples of Jesus praying in the Gospels. Jesus taught us the Lord's Prayer, which must be how he thought about the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, in the Gospel of Matthew, Mark and Luke, he prayed to the Father for help. In John 17, Jesus’ priestly prayer revealed how he saw his relationship with the Father,

“When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you…”

Jesus is the Father’s glory. The prayer Jesus utters in Matthew’s Gospel today is called the Thanksgiving Prayer,

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to babes”

 What is hidden? Jesus hidden identity as God in Triune relationship is the hidden reality. Jesus in his deepest essence is not Moses, Elijah, David or one of the prophets. Jesus is the eternal Son of the Father, he's the divine Son of God. Only the Father knows him like that and those to whom the Father wishes to reveal this hiddenness. 
 
Recall Matthew 16:13-18, where Jesus asked the disciples “who do men say that the Son of Man is?” And the disciples say “some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, others say one of the prophets.” Then Jesus turned to them and said “well who do you say that I am?” Peter says “you are the Christ, the son of God.” Jesus said to Peter, “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father who is in heaven.”  But from all eternity God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that is not just what God does, this hidden identity is the hiddenness of God. Jesus has a hidden identity and so do we. How is our identity revealed to us and the world?
 
My yoke is easy and my burden light
If your kids are listening, you could explain to them that Jesus isn’t talking about egg yolks. The yoke was a wooden collar that fit over the necks of oxen so that they could pull a plow. Generally, the yoke was made for two animals. Jesus is probably telling us that he will share his yoke with us and help us in our work. So, what is so easy and light about carrying Jesus yoke. Jesus did not stop racism or abortion or any other evil facing humanity. He was gentle, humble and meek with people. He spoke the truth about evil but did not crush those who opposed him, although clearly, he had the power too. He was after something else about people. In Matthew, Jesus told us

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Mt. 5:3

 Jesus is referring to Sirach, a book included in the Catholic Old Testament, but excluded by the Protestant Reformers. Wisdom speaks saying,

I open my mouth and speak of her: gain wisdom for yourselves at no cost.  Take her yoke upon your neck; that your mind may receive her teaching. For she is close to those who seek her, and the one who is in earnest finds her.  See for yourselves! I have labored only a little but have found much. Sirach 51:25-27

 The yoke of wisdom will be the means to rest. Think of the image of Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry his cross. Last week Jesus counseled his disciples, and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” Mt. 10:37-42
 
The theme of God’s humility is also in the first reading from Zechariah we read:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.” Zechariah 9:9-10

 Jesus did not trust the proclamation of his Gospel to the leaders of Israel, but to fishermen, Zealots, Pharisees like Paul and the tax collector Matthew. Jesus doesn't ask his followers to carry the cross by themselves, he will be there with them. We cannot carry the yoke without his help. How does he help us?
 
St. Thomas Aquinas and the Yoke of Christ
Some have said that the pandemic will change everything. Friends, no number of pandemics will ever change human nature. I can choose to bear the weightiness of me through life or the yoke of Christ. Bearing the yoke of Jesus can, however, change us. How does carrying Jesus yoke help us to escape be sucked into the darkness of constant agitation, fussing and anger? The cross exemplifies every virtue and teaches us all we have to know about Christian discipleship, that is, the art of being ourselves. Not the lonely, tired, angry, bored self; but Christ within us at baptism. St. Thomas Aquinas taught how it is that we bear the yoke with Christ. He wrote:
 
Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? There was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.
 
The Cross: A remedy for Sin
It is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on account of our sins, we have found relief through the passion of Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.
 
The Cross: An example of how to act
If you seek the example of love: Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake.
 

• Patience: If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth. Therefore Christ’s patience on the cross was great. In patience let us run for the prize set before us, looking upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who, for the joy set before him, bore his cross and despised the shame.

• Humility: If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.

• Obedience: If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. For just as by the disobedience of one man, namely, Adam, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.

• Putting our lives into perspective: If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink. Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because they divided my garments among themselves. Nor to honors, for he experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head. Nor to anything delightful, for in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

 
That reading is from the Liturgy of the Hours for the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas on January 28.  Powerful stuff. What did Jesus love and what did he despise? He loved God and his will for him. He despised things, not people. What we love defines us and forms us. St. Mother Teresa said, “as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.” We should look at what Jesus loved and what he despised and then go and do likewise with the help of God’s grace. Our virtue will always be imperfect; Christ’s virtue perfect. Wearing his yoke is easy and light, because he bears the brunt of it.