Proper
9 :: Zechariah 9: 9–12 / Psalm 45: 11–18
/ Romans 7: 15–25a / Matthew 11: 16–19, 25–30
This
is the homily given at St. John’s, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania by Fr. Gene Tucker
on Sunday, July 5, 2020.
“THE YOKE: BURDEN OR
BLESSING?”
(Homily text: Matthew 11: 16–19,
25–30)
In our
Gospel text, appointed for this morning, we hear Jesus’ statement, “Take my
yoke upon you, and learn from me….”
When we
think of a yoke, various images come to mind. One of them would be the yoke
that holds two oxen together in order that they can do some work, such as
plowing a field or pulling a cart. Another image that might come to mind is one
that might see in an old painting, showing person with a wooden yoke on their
shoulders, carrying two pails of water.
Perhaps
it’s possible that when we think of the Lord’s statement about His “yoke”, we
might think of the second image, and not the first one. Maybe we think that
taking on the Lord’s yoke involves a burden. And, just maybe, we might think
that the Lord’s burden is something that us burdensome, something to be
avoided, if at all possible.
In the
context of the Lord’s statement about the “yoke”, it seems to me that what He
has in mind is the cooperative image, the one in which two are needed to do the
work, like a team of oxen. (After all, two oxen are needed to do anything, one
alone won’t work.) The clue, I think, lies in the comment which precedes the
one about the “yoke”, for there we hear this: “Come to me, all who labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Perhaps the
intent is to tell us not to bear the burdens of life all by ourselves. Maybe
what the Lord has in mind is that He and we will share the burdens that are set
before us together. For a little bit later, He says that His “yoke is easy”,
and His “burden is light”. Notice that He says that the yoke is His, meaning
that He won’t abdicate His part of the work, He’ll continue to be there,
pulling alongside us.
We ought to
be clear about one thing: There are burdens to be borne and work to be done. If
we follow in the footsteps of the original twelve disciples to whom this
instruction was originally given, then we, too, are charged with the burden of
carrying the Good News (Gospel) out into the world, just as they did. We, along
with the Lord, work together to share that good news.
Isn’t it
good to know that the burden of the work, whatever that work might entail,
isn’t ours alone to accomplish?
What great and
good news that is!
The Lord
being our coworker and helper, can accomplish great things in and through us.
AMEN.
