Friday, July 29, 2011

Homily for 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 55:1-3/ Psalm 145/ Romans 8:35, 37-39/Matt 14:13-21

THEME: An invitation to faith and total surrender


It is said that “A person becomes cruel because of cruelty he had to endure and now he is healed fully when he experiences unconditional love.” Today we celebrate one of the greatest attributes of God namely love. We all have experienced the love of God freely and so we cannot but reciprocate that love. Jesus demonstrates this love by having compassion on humanity.
The first reading is an invitation to grace. The prophet Isaiah invites all of us to come to the fountain of living water; the fountain that never runs dry; an offering of love. He says, “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come buy and eat! Come; buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1). He emphasises the universality of God’s love. Again, he says “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and labour for that which does not satisfy…” (Isaiah 55:2)? Indeed, many are laboring for nothing while God bestows his gift on his children freely like he did in the Gospel reading of today.
He continues “Come to me heedfully; listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David” (Isaiah 55:3). Isaiah lays emphasis on the need for us to trust and obey God whenever we come to Him for that will give us life. God’s will must reign supreme in our daily struggles because in His will is our peace.
In the Gospel reading, without any stretch of our imagination, we picture the embarrassing plight of the disciples who were struggling to feed a multitude. Here were more than five thousand hungry people and they had nothing to feed them. Certainly, the disciples knew that Jesus was powerful enough to meet the need, yet they did not turn to him for help. Instead, they took inventory of their own food supply “We have nothing here but five loads and two fish” (Matthew 14:17b) and their limited treasury. When they considered the time (evening) and the place (a desolate place), they came to the conclusion that nothing could be done to solve the problem. Can you imagine their counsel to the Lord “ This is a deserted place and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves” (Matthew 14:15).
How true it is for many of God’s people today. For some reason, it is never the right time or place for God to act. We want to now direct God as to what he should do. Jesus watched his frustrated disciples as they tried to solve the problem. But He Himself knew what he was intending to do. He wanted to teach them a lesson of faith and self surrender. The same is true for us who think that it is not God’s time to act. Like Jesus looking on while the disciples were trying to solve the puzzle, He looks on while we try to solve our own problems even though he has the key to unlock solutions to our problems. He invites us, therefore, to faith and total surrender.
The episode of the feeding of the five thousand has four implications for us all. They claimed they had nothing but there was food. This means no body lacks anything no matter how small it may be. We all have something that we must bring to the Lord. The first is we must come to Jesus with what we have. Second, there must be a willingness to give too Jesus what we have to Jesus like the small boy gave out what he had willingly for little is much if God is in it. Third, we must be ready to obey what Jesus commands for as servants, we are distributors not manufacturers. If we give what we have, He will bless it and give it back to us for use in feeding others. Finally, we must learn to conserve what Jesus gives us for the pieces were carefully collected to remind us that whatever is blessed is never thrown away.
The second reading is a reminder of the love of God which knows no bounds. Indeed, God permits difficulties to come our way not to weigh us down but to strengthen us spiritually for “In all things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us” (Romans 8:37). We are free from judgment because Christ died for us and we have His righteousness; we are free from defeat because Christ lives in us by His Spirit and we share His life; we are free from discouragement because Christ is coming for us and we shall share His glory; we are free from fear because Christ intercedes for us and we cannot be separated from His love. Therefore, there is no condemnation, no frustration; no separation for God’s people for if God be for us, who can be against us?
In sum, the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand was actually a sermon in action. Jesus is the Bread of Life and only He can satisfy our spiritual hunger. The tragedy is, men waste their time and money on “that which is not bread (Isaiah 55:1-7). People today are making the same mistake. Jesus still has compassion on the hungry multitude and he still says to his Church: “Give them something to eat.” How easy it is for us to send people away, to make excuses, to plead a lack of resources. Jesus asks that we give Him all that we have and let Him use it as He sees fit. A hungry world is feeding on empty substitutes while we deprive them of the Bread of Life. When we give Christ what we have, we never lose. We always end up having immeasurably more than we can imagine or even think about.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Homily for 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 1Kings 3:5, 7-12/ Psalm 119/ Romans 8:28-30/Matt 13:44-52

THEME: No sacrifice is too great for the Kingdom of God

Every human being has passion for something that interests him or her. In the light of this, he or she will do everything to pursue that passion sometimes to the peril of his or her life. People even kill to without any apprehension to get what they want. Whatever we have passion for must be guided by the wisdom of God otherwise it will lead us to destruction. Wisdom is, therefore, the supreme value of human life.
It is important to know the historical background for today's first reading so that we can better appreciate it. Solomon had just been installed as the third king of Israel. The lot of leadership fell to him, the favored son of Bathsheba after series of family struggle for power. First of all, it was God who recognised Solomon’s need for Him and went to his aid. Secondly, Solomon's prayer for wisdom reveals a young king, unsure of himself at the outset of his reign.
The wise man is the one who knows the real truth about man and his destiny. Solomon teaches every Christian what real treasure is. It is God who took the initiative to ask Solomon what he needed. “At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night and God said, ask what I should give you” (1Kings 3:5). The fact that God recognised Solomon’s need for Him and went to his aid cannot be over-emphasised. God knows what we need. He is constantly asking us what we need. Yet, we fail to be wise in our asking. The wise man is one who knows that some values are higher than others and he knows which value is the highest of all. For Solomon, wisdom was the treasure he found. What treasure are you looking for?
The beginning of wisdom is the recognition that one needs wisdom. True wisdom is that which is from above and it is “First pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy, and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy” (James 3:17).
The Gospel reading reminds us that the kingdom of God is an important treasure than gold and pearls. For the faithful Christian the point of the parables of the treasure and the pearl are obvious. The kingdom of God or the life of grace in us which will culminate in eternal life with God is the most precious thing in this world. Once it has been found, the wise man disposes of everything he has in order to possess it and he will take all steps to hold on to it until the very end. This is Christian wisdom which, because of the revelation of Jesus Christ surpasses the Wisdom of Solomon and is offered to each and every one of us.
At the conclusion of our Lord’s discourse in Matthew chapter thirteen which we have been following for the past three Sundays, he asks his disciples, “Have you understood all these? They replied with a very firm “Yes”. The same words of Jesus are directed to us today. “Have you understood all these words?” If we have, then we are in possession of the wisdom of the mysteries of God. Like King Solomon, we have become wise.
Jesus concludes his sermon by saying “Therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old” (Matthew 13:52). The Scribes in the context are the Apostles and all those Christians who have been instructed in the kingdom. The ‘Old’ is the incomplete revelation of the Old Testament while the ‘New’ is the complete and final revelation of Jesus in the Gospel. The Apostles were the true scribes because they possessed the wisdom of both the old law and the new law of Jesus Christ.
The world is in search for the greatest treasure, a treasure namely the kingdom of God that restores hope to our world of fragile peace and empty promises. May the world of our time, which is searching, sometimes with anguish, sometimes with hope, be enabled to receive the Good News not from evangelizers who are dejected, discouraged, impatient or anxious, but from ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervor, who have first received the joy of Christ, and who are willing to risk their lives so that the Kingdom may be proclaimed and the Church established in the midst of the world."
In a world in which people put their hope on riches and material possession because that is the treasure they have found, the parable of the drag net has lots of lessons for them. Wisdom has indeed eluded them. The folly of trust in riches is what the Psalmist reiterates “In his riches, man lacks wisdom. He is like a beast that are destroyed” (Psalm 49:12).
In the second reading, Paul urges us all not to be discouraged and frustrated because we already share the glory of God. Our suffering today only guarantees much more glory when Christ returns. Paul says “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Indeed God has called each and every one of us long before the foundations of the world, “…Just as He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love” (Ephesians 1:3).
Nowhere are we taught that God predestines people to be eternally condemned. If they are condemned, it is because of their refusal to trust Christ. These expressions namely ‘those he called’, ‘those he justified’ (Romans 8:28-30) and the like do not mean that God is arbitrary. Rather, Paul uses them to emphasize the thought and care that God has taken for the Christian's salvation.
In sum, the parables of the treasure and the pearl represent the kingdom of God as the supreme value for which no sacrifice is too great. As believing Christians, we already have the greatest treasure of all namely God’s everlasting love deep down inside of us. That is the treasure; that is the pearl of great price and that is where our heart should be.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Homily for 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Wisdom 12:13, 16-19/ Psalm 86/ Romans 8:26-27/Matt 13:24-43 THEME: GOD’S FORBEARANCE IS FOREVER

Last week, I reminded you that Satan opposes the kingdom of God by trying to snatch the Word of God from our hearts (Matthew 13:4, 19). But when that fails, he has other ways of attacking God’s work. Christians must be reminded that Satan has never invented or created anything new. Instead, he destroys that which God has already made. The readings for this Sunday highlight the idea of God’s forbearance. I will focus on the parable of the weeds.
Today’s Gospel reading includes three parables and an explanation. Last Sunday, we mentioned that parables are human stories designed to highlight a divine truth. The emphasis today is on the first parable- the story of the enemy who came in the night and sowed weeds among the good wheat. From the Gospel reading, it appears that the parable of the weeds reinforces the notion of God’s forbearance. The three parables reveal that Satan is primarily an imitator. He plants false Christians, he encourages a false growth and he introduces false doctrine.
This parable of Jesus is meant to address the problem of evil namely “if God is alive, why is there so much evil in the world?” The parable offers a double answer to this question. First, the presence of evil Christians proves that evil is at work even in the Church. Secondly, no matter how saddening and scandalous this situation is, it must be borne with patience and cannot be changed by man. One must have great patience. It is only at the last judgment that the separation of the good from evil will take place.
God’s way is much more patient than man’s way. This is because when evil in any of its many forms stalks us, we have a tendency, as human as we are, to lash out, destroy both and good and evil or like James and John to call down fire and brimstone from heaven. That is our way but that is not the way of God. God is much more patient than we are. The patient of God is made manifest in the responsorial psalm “Lord you are good and forgiving.”
Good and bad both exist in the Church. In his explanation, Jesus points out the field is the world; he is the sower of the good seed; the devil sows the weeds and the harvest is the end of the world (cf Matthew 13:37-39). The parable makes clear that good and evil men live side by side on earth in such a way that it is impossible to separate them. We are not to think that only ‘Saints’ are found in the Church. Sinners are in the Church too. All that glitters is not gold so says Shakespeare. Therefore, we are not in the position to judge others; that must be left to the Son of man who will judge the living and the dead at the end of time.
It is God’s forbearance that is emphasised here as against the impatience of man. “ … The slave said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them? But he replied, No, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest and at harvest time, I will tell the reaper to collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned but gather the wheat into the barn” (Matthew 13:28-30).
Since God is compassionate and merciful, He does not destroy the evil man immediately. Although this point is not made in the gospel, since man is free and God’s grace is always offered to him, there is always the possibility that he will have a change of heart and turn back to God. Whether and when this will occur, we are not able to tell.
The forbearance attitude of God is affirmed in the first reading. It says, “Although you are sovereign in strength, you judge with mildness, and with great forbearance you govern us; for you have power to act whenever you choose” (Wisdom 12:18). The decision to condemn and pardon is the Lord’s.
As Christians, one of the beautiful and overwhelming gifts of God is forgiveness. Even the righteous man is aware of the fact that the grace of God is at work in him to will and to do according to God’s purpose. The book of Wisdom says it again, “ Through such works you have taught your people that the righteous must be kind and you have filled your children with good hope because you give repentance for sins” ( Wisdom 12:19).
In conclusion, St. Augustine in his book City of God wrestled with the problem of good and evil in the world and in the Church. The parable we just considered had a great deal of influence on his thinking. Let us take advantage of the Lord’s forbearance to amend our crooked ways. It is an undeniable fact that Satan is primarily an imitator. He plants false Christians, he encourages a false growth and he introduces false doctrine. Beware!

Friday, July 8, 2011

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 55:10-11/ Psalm 65/ Romans 8:18-23/Matt 13:1-23 THEME: Have a trusting searching heart for God’s Wor

Words are cheap these days. In the advent of the abolishment of the Criminal Libel Law, millions of words stream over both the print and electronic media. To the extent that people do not take speakers serious. Whatever exists in abundance like the sand on the sea shore is not held in high esteem. Hence the saying “Action speaks louder than words.
Although, words have been cheapened in our culture, chiefly through overuse and misuse, so that we are very distrustful of them, yet there is a word that has retained all vigor and freshness that it had when it was first spoken. I refer to the word of God. God’s word is life- giving; it is more powerful than any double edge sword. It has the power to change a sinner like St. Augustine of Hippo into a great saint and champion of the Church.
God’ word comes to us in many different ways. We hear it in Church during the Liturgy of the Word every Sunday. It is made real for us in the lives of the good Christians we may happen to meet. It is always at hand in the bible which we should always read and meditate on daily.
In today’ first reading, the prophet Isaiah tells us that as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the so is the word that comes from the mouth of God, “It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which l purpose and succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). God’s will is that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1Timothy 2:4). His word will not remain barren. Like the seed that is planted in good soil it will bring forth good fruit.
The Word of God first encountered man in the persons of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and the prophets of Israel. His word was not spoken in vain to them but many members of the chosen people turned deaf ear to God and went their own way of destruction. To affirm the fact that God’ word is for all time and that it fulfills the purpose for which God sends it, He sent His only Son, the incarnate Word of God. Thus Jesus is the definitive Word of God that was spoken once and for all time. “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he spoke to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds (Hebrews 1:1-2). Today, he makes his voice heard in and through his Church.
The first reading provides an Old Testament basis for the parable of the sower in the Gospel reading. Jesus presents to us a graphic picture of the Word of God and its efficacy. Someone described a parable as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The parable of the sower says something very personal to each and every one of us. It touches on the central core of my personality and the way I live out my religious faith.
Unlike the words of men, the Word of God is living and powerful only in the life of those who believe. The truth of God must take root in the heart, be cultivated, and permitted to bear fruit. It is amazing to realise that three fourths of the seed did not bear fruit.
Jesus describes four different reactions to the Word namely refusal as found in those who refuse to hear the Word of God. Hopefully this does not apply to us here today because we hear the Word of God every day we gather. Secondly, the seed that fell on rocky grounds refer to those who are inconsistent and fickle; those who relish the Word of God as long as it does not make any demands on them. Thirdly, there are those who are distracted the moment they hear the Word of God; distracted by the cares and pleasures of this life. They represent the seed that fell among thorns.
The refusal, the inconsistencies and fickle mindedness and distractions that characterise the inability of those who failed to accept the Word of God has been addressed by St. Paul in the second reading. He assures us all that in spite of the many challenges we face in our desire and resolve to do the will of God, he says, “ I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). Do not allow your challenges dictate how you react to the Word of God; it is not worth it.
Finally, acceptance is shown in those who gave heed to the Word of God. “Other seeds feel on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:8). The reason for the difference in the harvest is that some of the soil is better or richer than other soil. Thus among those who receive the Word, some give a more wholehearted and generous response than others. The response to the approach of God varies from individual to individual. Ultimately, the reason for this lies in the wills of the persons concerned and in the working of God’s grace on those wills.
The adherence of Christians to the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church cannot be underestimated. In the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum), the Council Fathers did not mince words when they said “The obedience of faith (Rom. 16:26; cf. Rom. 1:5; 2 Cor. 10:5-6) must be given to God as he reveals himself. By faith, man freely commits his entire self to God, making “the full submission of his intellect and will to God who reveals and willingly assenting to the Revelation given by him…” (Dei Verbum no. 5).
In sum, Jesus did not use parables to confuse or condemn his listeners. Rather, he sought to excite their interest and arouse their curiosity. Parables give light to those with trusting, searching hearts. But to the unconcerned and unrepentant, darkness. Let us accept God’s word unreservedly into our hearts. In his explanation of the parable, Jesus tells his disciples that to them has been given the knowledge of the mysteries of the reign of God because they accepted Jesus and believed in him.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Zechariah 9:9-10/ Psalm 145/ Romans 8:9,11-13/Matt 11:25-30 THEME: Come, Take and Learn

The readings for today’ liturgy brings into sharp focus Jesus’ identification with the lowly in order to raise man’s fallen nature to its lost dignity.
The First Reading is often associated with Palm Sunday for obvious reasons. In today’ Liturgy, it is used to complement Jesus’ cry of jubilation which forms today’ gospel reading. When our Lord rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, his action was not a sudden inspiration but something wholly in character with his previous ministry, his self-identification with the lowly.
Today’s Gospel reading opens for us a profound prayer that Jesus offers to his Father. The learned and the wise of this world think that they see what ordinary people do not see. But they are deceived. Jesus thanks his Father for revealing him to the “merest children.” He says, “ I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants, yes Father, for such was your gracious will” (Matthew 11:25-26).
Within the context of the Gospel passage the “Children” he is talking about are his own apostles and disciples. The learned and the wise are the Pharisees and the Scribes who, to a great extent, had reduced religion to the observance of a multitude of petty prescription. Not only did they burden pious Jews with hundreds of laws to be fulfilled; they also ignored some of the more substantial requirements of the revelation God made to Moses and transmitted to the chosen people.
Jesus knows the Father and reveals him to us all. Jesus says “ Everything has been given to me by my father and no one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him ” (Matthew 11:27). The kind of knowledge that Jesus possesses of his Father is one that surpasses all human knowledge. The Pharisees and Scribes claim to know God but they deceive themselves. The knowledge Jesus has of the Father is the fact that he knows the secret things of God and he it is who transmits them faithfully to those who have ears to hear.
Jesus of Nazareth, through his preaching, his miracles, his parables, his life and death proclaims God’s plan of salvation for all men. That plan includes a suffering Messiah who will be humbled all the way to the cross. It pleased God to hide this plan from the proud and to reveal it to little ones like us. God truly uses the weak things of this world to confound the strong and the stupid things to baffle the wise.
All knowledge of salvation, knowledge that concerns us today and our future has been communicated to the Son. As the Gospel reading emphasises, this knowledge is in the hands of the Son and he can give it to anyone to whom he wishes to reveal it. Jesus is the source of infinite wisdom and knowledge. In our day when there is so much intellectual and moral confusion all around us, it is necessary to recall these reassuring words of our divine saviour that all things have been handed over to him by his Father. It is this true knowledge of Jesus that will lead us out of ignorance unto the threshold of wisdom.

At the conclusion of today’s Gospel, Jesus turns to his disciples and to us and urges us to come to him, for he will refresh us. He urges us to assume his burden, for he will give rest to our souls. “Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart… for my yoke is easy, my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
In the Jewish culture, a yoke is placed on two oxen so that they can complement each other in the process of ploughing. Therefore, if Jesus invites us to take upon ourselves his yoke, he is not by this placing another burden on us. Instead, he wants to complement our efforts; he wants to help us carry our burden. By inviting us to take upon ourselves his yoke, Jesus identifies himself with sinful humanity in order to raise humanity back to his lost dignity.
The second reading makes it clear those whom Jesus wishes to reveal himself to. St. Paul says “… anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9b). Therefore, anyone who wishes to possess knowledge of God and of Jesus must submit himself to Jesus. For the one who possesses the Holy Spirit is truly humble and will possess such knowledge with ease.
In conclusion, according to Blessed Pope John Paul II in his book Theology of the body explained “When truth is presented in its full splendor, it does not need to be imposed. It has its own appeal that naturally attracts us.” The folly of man is that he refuses to listen to the truth. The pagans refused. The Pharisees refused. We too are tempted constantly to refuse. But by the faith that God has poured out into our hearts we must turn completely to Jesus by placing our whole trust in him. Go to him for his yoke is easy and his burden light. He is patiently waiting for you to come, take and learn.

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Zechariah 9:9-10/ Psalm 145/ Romans 8:9,11-13/Matt 11:25-30 THEME: Come, Take and Learn

The readings for today’ liturgy brings into sharp focus Jesus’ identification with the lowly in order to raise man’s fallen nature to its lost dignity.
The First Reading is often associated with Palm Sunday for obvious reasons. In today’ Liturgy, it is used to complement Jesus’ cry of jubilation which forms today’ gospel reading. When our Lord rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, his action was not a sudden inspiration but something wholly in character with his previous ministry, his self-identification with the lowly.
Today’s Gospel reading opens for us a profound prayer that Jesus offers to his Father. The learned and the wise of this world think that they see what ordinary people do not see. But they are deceived. Jesus thanks his Father for revealing him to the “merest children.” He says, “ I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants, yes Father, for such was your gracious will” (Matthew 11:25-26).
Within the context of the Gospel passage the “Children” he is talking about are his own apostles and disciples. The learned and the wise are the Pharisees and the Scribes who, to a great extent, had reduced religion to the observance of a multitude of petty prescription. Not only did they burden pious Jews with hundreds of laws to be fulfilled; they also ignored some of the more substantial requirements of the revelation God made to Moses and transmitted to the chosen people.
Jesus knows the Father and reveals him to us all. Jesus says “ Everything has been given to me by my father and no one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him ” (Matthew 11:27). The kind of knowledge that Jesus possesses of his Father is one that surpasses all human knowledge. The Pharisees and Scribes claim to know God but they deceive themselves. The knowledge Jesus has of the Father is the fact that he knows the secret things of God and he it is who transmits them faithfully to those who have ears to hear.
Jesus of Nazareth, through his preaching, his miracles, his parables, his life and death proclaims God’s plan of salvation for all men. That plan includes a suffering Messiah who will be humbled all the way to the cross. It pleased God to hide this plan from the proud and to reveal it to little ones like us. God truly uses the weak things of this world to confound the strong and the stupid things to baffle the wise.
All knowledge of salvation, knowledge that concerns us today and our future has been communicated to the Son. As the Gospel reading emphasises, this knowledge is in the hands of the Son and he can give it to anyone to whom he wishes to reveal it. Jesus is the source of infinite wisdom and knowledge. In our day when there is so much intellectual and moral confusion all around us, it is necessary to recall these reassuring words of our divine saviour that all things have been handed over to him by his Father. It is this true knowledge of Jesus that will lead us out of ignorance unto the threshold of wisdom.

At the conclusion of today’s Gospel, Jesus turns to his disciples and to us and urges us to come to him, for he will refresh us. He urges us to assume his burden, for he will give rest to our souls. “Come to me all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart… for my yoke is easy, my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
In the Jewish culture, a yoke is placed on two oxen so that they can complement each other in the process of ploughing. Therefore, if Jesus invites us to take upon ourselves his yoke, he is not by this placing another burden on us. Instead, he wants to complement our efforts; he wants to help us carry our burden. By inviting us to take upon ourselves his yoke, Jesus identifies himself with sinful humanity in order to raise humanity back to his lost dignity.
The second reading makes it clear those whom Jesus wishes to reveal himself to. St. Paul says “… anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9b). Therefore, anyone who wishes to possess knowledge of God and of Jesus must submit himself to Jesus. For the one who possesses the Holy Spirit is truly humble and will possess such knowledge with ease.
In conclusion, according to Blessed Pope John Paul II in his book Theology of the body explained “When truth is presented in its full splendor, it does not need to be imposed. It has its own appeal that naturally attracts us.” The folly of man is that he refuses to listen to the truth. The pagans refused. The Pharisees refused. We too are tempted constantly to refuse. But by the faith that God has poured out into our hearts we must turn completely to Jesus by placing our whole trust in him. Go to him for his yoke is easy and his burden light. He is patiently waiting for you to come, take and learn.