Theme: Learn from Me and You Will Find Rest for Your Soul
Introduction: May you continue to learn from the Lord Jesus and find the rest and peace that come from trusting in GOD.
In a Jeopardy! show, the statement was something to the effect of: “The number of animals used in a single yoke.” The first contestant wrongly said, “What is one?” The next contestant correctly responded, “What is two?” A yoke is what harnesses two beasts of burden together so they can work as a team. Sometimes the two that are yoked are not evenly matched and the stronger one takes most of the burden, yet the weaker one does supply some of the energy so the task can be completed.
Today we are asked to be yoked with Jesus. Jesus promises
to take the greater part of the load if we allow Him to do so. But that implies
we give up some of our self-sufficiency. Are you ready to do so?
Commentary: The use of a donkey as a mount is a sign that the king will be humble, just as Jesus in the gospel says that he is humble of heart. This is even more literally fulfilled when Jesus makes his messianic entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday mounted ‘on a colt, the foal of a donkey’. In the spirituality of the centuries after the Babylonian exile and leading up to the coming of Christ, this quality of humility, rejection of all pomp and pride of position was very central. Israel could claim no success of distinction of its own, and was forced to rely on the LORD. The poor and humble were the chosen ones of the LORD. Especially in the Lukan stories of Jesus’ infancy it is made clear that the blessing comes to the poor and humble. Mary and Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, are both poor and disadvantaged. Mary can find no decent place to give birth to her son. Jesus is greeted by impoverished, hireling shepherds. Joseph can afford only the turtledove, offering of the poor. Simeon and Anna have the disadvantage of advanced old age.
The psalm is a hymn of praise to the Ruler Who is GOD. It praises GOD for divine graciousness, mercy, kindness, compassion, and faithfulness. Although these attributes were understood by the Jews to be how GOD would treat the chosen people, the fuller understanding in light of the other readings today would extend these attributes to the treatment of all people and all nations who humbly come to learn from and begin to “know” GOD.
Commentary: Chapter
eight of Romans is the chapter of the Spirit. We have seen that the Christian, baptised
into Christ, lives with his life, the life of the Spirit of Christ. This means that
the Christian’s whole value-system is that of the Spirit, the reverse of the values
of the ‘flesh’. ‘Flesh’ in Paul does not mean, as it often does in modern parlance,
only the grosser, ‘carnal’ desires such as sex, gluttony, drunkenness. In the Letter
to the Galatians 5.18-21 (and in many ways Galatians is a preliminary to Romans)
the ‘works of the flesh’ includes such non-physical things as sorcery, rivalry,
quarrels, malice. The concept of ‘flesh’ therefore centres on unchecked or un-schooled
natural desires, self-indulgence as opposed to self-control. To live by the law
of the Spirit is therefore not to live by the Law of Moses, which merely checks
external actions, nor to live by the law of the flesh, but is to live by the Spirit
of Christ, from which spontaneously well up love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
trustfulness, gentleness and the other Christ-like motivations. In this sense the
Law of Christ does not restrain from without but impels from within.
Commentary: This
much-loved and encouraging passage tells of the intimacy of the relationship between
Father and Son in a way that no other passage of the synoptic gospels does. It is
reminiscent of those passages in John 5 which unfold the equality of Father and
Son: the Son does nothing but what he sees the Father doing; the Father loves the
Son so that he entrusts all things to the Son, and the Son gives life just as the
Father gives life. Then comes the gentle invitation of the Son to all who are overburdened.
The ‘yoke’ is often a symbol of the Law of Moses, which could seem burdensome with
its many commands, though it was also valued as God’s revelation of himself to his
own people in love. Christ is not a tyrannical master, but is a sympathetic, gentle
and humble leader who shares his life with his followers. The ‘yoke’ or law of Christ,
as we saw with regard to the second reading, is the interior impulse of the Spirit.
It cannot be burdensome, since it is a joy to carry, a way of living with Christ
and by his Spirit. Even the joy of martyrs, subjected as they are to physical pains,
is a constant feature of accounts of martyrdom.
Reflection: Do
you want to know the mind and heart of God? Jesus thanks the Father in heaven for
revealing to his followers the wisdom and knowledge of God. What does Jesus' prayer
tell us about God and about our relationship with him? First, it tells us that God
is both Father and Lord of the earth as well as heaven. He is both the Creator and
Author of all that he has made, the first origin of everything. His authority, wisdom,
and gracious care extends to every living thing, and his boundless love and goodness
is directed to the welfare of each person made in his image and likeness. He is
the source of all human life. That is why all fatherhood and motherhood are ultimately
derived from him (Ephesians 3:14-15).
Pride - the root of sin
Jesus' prayer contrasts the "wisdom of the world" with the wisdom
which comes from above - from the Father of heaven who is all wise and good. Jesus'
prayer contains an implicit warning that pride can keep us from the love and knowledge
of God. What makes us ignorant and blind to the wisdom of God? Certainly intellectual
pride, coldness of heart, and stubbornness of will shut out God and his wise rule
and fatherly care for our personal lives. Pride is the root of all vice and evil
and the strongest influence propelling us to sin against God and to do wrong to
our neighbor. Sinful pride first vanquishes the heart, making it cold and indifferent
towards God. It also closes the mind to God's truth and wisdom for our lives. What
is pride's flaw? It is the inordinate love of oneself at the expense of others and
the exaggerated estimation of one's own knowledge, power, importance and position
over others.
Simplicity and lowliness of heart
Jesus contrasts pride with child-like simplicity and humility. The simple of
heart are like "little children" in the sense that they see purely and
simply without any pretense or falsehood. They instinctively recognize their utter
dependence and reliance on others - especially those who can teach and form them
to live strong, healthy, mature lives. No one can grow in wisdom and maturity unless
they are willing to be taught and formed in how to live wisely and to distinguish
between good and evil, truth and falsehood.
Simplicity of heart is closely linked with humility - the queen of virtues that
forgets oneself in order to love and serve others for their sake. The humble of
heart are the freest of all - emptied of vanity and self-concern they can single-mindedly
focus on the welfare of others. The Lord Jesus is our model. He proclaimed to his
disciples, "I am gentle and lowly of heart" (Matthew 11:29). Jesus came
"not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for the many"
(Matthew 20:28). Jesus' "gentleness" is not weakness or powerlessness.
It is "strength under control" which is at the service of good rather
than evil.
Jesus humbled himself to lift us out of our misery and slavery to sin in order to
raise us up to glory with him and the Father. Jesus came not to bruise the weak
but to heal, to pardon and not to condemn, to restore us to abundant life by defeating
sin, Satan, and death. It was love for his eternal Father and for each one of us
that motivated Jesus to humble himself to death on the cross in order to rescue
us from slavery to sin and death. The Lord Jesus shows us the true path of love
and victory, freedom and joy, through the cross that defeated pride and hatred,
greed and selfishness, guilt and condemnation.
True humility - which is the opposite of false modesty or feeling bad about oneself
- frees us to pursue what is good, right, holy, and true. Scripture tells us that
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6).
Only the humble in heart can receive the wisdom which comes from God and the understanding
of God's perfect goodness and plan for our lives. Do you acknowledge your utter
dependence on God and do you trust him with your whole heart, mind, and being?
The greatest reward for those who seek the "summum bonum" or "greatest
good" is to be united with God - the one and only true source of peace, joy,
and happiness that will last forever.
Knowing God personally
Jesus makes a claim which no one would have dared to make - he is the perfect
revelation of God because he has been with the Father before all creation and time
existed. He and the Father are united in an inseparable bond of love and unity.
That is why Jesus alone can truly reveal the fullness of God's mind and heart and
purpose for our lives.
One of the greatest truths of God's revelation and our Christian faith is that we
can know the one true and living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited
to knowing some things about God and his true nature - we can know God our Father
and Creator personally because God our Father desires to be closely united with
each one of us in a bond of love through his Son, Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus makes
it possible for each one of us to have a personal direct relationship and experiential
knowledge of God as our loving and gracious Father.
Through Jesus we have access to God the Father
To see the Lord Jesus is to recognize and know the true nature of God and his
personal love for us. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God - a God who cares
intensely and who yearns over every man and woman whom he has created in his image
and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). God the Father loved us even while we were lost
in ignorance and blinded by sin and pride. He sent us his Only Begotten Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, who freely gave up his life for us on the cross as the atoning
sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 1:7). Paul the Apostle tells
us that Jesus is the image of God (Colossians 1:15). He is the perfect revelation
of God - a God who loves us totally, unconditionally, and without reservation. What
can separate us from the love of God? Only our own stubborn pride, willfulness,
and rebellious attitude towards God and his will for our lives.
Jesus makes an incredible promise to those who acknowledge him as their Lord and
Savior. If we pray in his name - the name Jesus means God saves - then the Father
in heaven will hear us as if his only begotten Son was speaking to him directly.
That is the unity, blessing, and promise he wishes for each one of us. And that
is why we have the confidence and boldness to pray as Jesus taught his disciples,
Our Father who art in heaven... give us this day our daily bread and deliver us
from temptation. Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in
his perfect love and care for you?
The sweet yoke of Jesus
What does the yoke of Jesus refer to in the Gospel (Matthew 11:29)? The Jews
used the image of a yoke to express submission to God. They spoke of the yoke of
the law, the yoke of the commandments, the yoke of the kingdom, the yoke of God.
Jesus says his yoke is "easy". The Greek word for "easy" can
also mean "well-fitting". Yokes were tailor-made to fit the oxen well.
We are commanded to put on the "sweet yoke of Jesus" and to live the "heavenly
way of life and happiness".
Jesus also says his "burden is light". There's a story of a man who once
met a boy carrying a smaller crippled lad on his back. "That's a heavy load
you are carrying there," exclaimed the man. "He ain't heavy; he's my brother!"
responded the boy. No burden is too heavy when it's given in love and carried in
love. Jesus offers us a new kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. In his kingdom
sins are not only forgiven but removed, and eternal life is poured out for all its
citizens. This is not a political kingdom, but a spiritual one.
Freedom from sin and guilt
The yoke of Christ's kingdom, his kingly rule and way of life, liberates us
from the burden of guilt and from the oppression of sinful habits and hurtful desires.
Only Jesus can lift the burden of sin and the weight of hopelessness from us - and
give us a weight of love and glory in exchange. Jesus used the analogy of a yoke
to explain how we can exchange the burden of sin and despair for a burden of glory
and yoke of freedom from sin. The yoke which Jesus invites us to embrace is his
way of grace and freedom from the power of sin. Do you trust in God's love and submit
to his will and plan for your life?
Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity
and purity of faith to gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful
love. Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from receiving
your word with trust and humble submission.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The grace of Christ bears us up, from an anonymous early Christian teacher
"'My yoke is easy and my burden light'...
The prophet says this about the burden of sinners: 'Because my iniquities lie on
top of my head, so they have also placed a heavy burden on me' (Psalm 38:4)... 'Place
my yoke upon you, and learn from me that I am gentle and humble of heart.' Oh, what
a very pleasing weight that strengthens even more those who carry it! For the weight
of earthly masters gradually destroys the strength of their servants, but the weight
of Christ rather helps the one who bears it, because we do not bear grace; grace
bears us. It is not for us to help grace, but rather grace has been given to aid
us." (excerpt from the INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 29: PG 56:780)
TOTAL HUMILITY
“Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of
heart.”—Matthew 11:29
Jesus is gentle and humble of heart (compare
Zec 9:9). Jesus “humbled Himself, obediently accepting even
death, death on a cross!” (Phil 2:8) Jesus humbled Himself and washed the feet of the
apostles. Then He commanded: “What I just did was to give you an example: as I have
done, so you must do” (Jn 13:15). Jesus promised: “Whoever humbles himself shall
be exalted” (Mt 23:12).
The Lord commands us to be humble in personal
relationships. This is called “submission” (see Eph 5:21). We are to be humble in managing finances and possessions.
This is called “stewardship.” The Lord commands us to be humble in obeying His Word
through the teachings of the Church and her Bible. This humility in receiving teaching
is called “docility.” In effect, the Lord wants our lives to be permeated with humility.
The Lord promised: “I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and
lowly” (Zep 3:12). “Be humbled in the sight of the Lord” (Jas 4:10).
Prayer: “Jesus, gentle and humble of heart,
make my heart like Yours.” “If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but
if by the Spirit you put to death the evil deeds of the body, you will live.” —Rm 8:13. Praise the risen Jesus, the “Man of suffering” (Is 53:3) and risen Lord of glory!
The
personal action for today: What is my attitude toward doing things “my way”? What
aspect of my life do I need to humbly release into the care of the Lord Jesus? How
do I show that I am allowing myself to be yoked with Jesus? How do I “rest” in Him?
What is one of the areas of my life which I should seek to learn more from Jesus
on how to handle the issue(s) I face? What can I do to help others to come and learn
from Jesus, by the way I deal with them?