Meditation: Matthew 11:25-30

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

You have revealed them to little ones. (Matthew 11:25)

Life is an adventure for little children. Give a young boy a toy fire engine, and he’ll spend hours putting out a giant fire. Give a young girl a doll, and she’ll treat it as her own child. Children are also imaginative. Give them the box from a large appliance, and they’ll quickly turn it into a rocket ship, a sports car, or a house. Children also keep things simple. They believe everything their parents tell them. They make friends almost immediately. They give affection freely and without suspicion.

We adults, on the other hand, ask far too many questions. We like to think things through. We weigh the pros and cons of a decision carefully and examine every angle. While that’s generally a good thing, too much examination can become a hindrance. This is especially true when it comes to issues of faith. That’s why Jesus encourages us to be “little ones” (Matthew 11:25).

Following Jesus should be simple and adventurous as well. For instance, we might try using our imagination in prayer by picturing ourselves in biblical times. We can imagine Jesus as he multiplies the loaves or walks on water. We can cross the Red Sea and journey to the Promised Land with the Israelites. We can place ourselves on the battlefield and witness David slaying the mighty Goliath. Using our imagination this way, we can imitate an inquisitive child and ask all manner of questions: “How can Jesus be everywhere at the same time? What does an angel look like?”

Don’t settle for the same old routine! Be bold, and launch yourself on a new adventure. Try this experiment when you’re at Mass today. During the Eucharistic prayer, ask Jesus to take you to the upper room with him. Watch as he celebrates the very first Eucharist with his apostles. What does the scene look like? What is Jesus saying to you?

Go ahead and dare to be a child again.

“Here I am, Jesus, ready for a new adventure with you today.”

Zechariah 9:9-10
Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14
Romans 8:9, 11-13

A Christian Pilgrim

EASY YOKE AND LIGHT BURDEN

(A biblical reflection on the 14^th Ordinary Sunday [Year A], 9 July 2017)

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:25-30

First Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalms: Psalm 145:1-2,8-11,13-14, Second Reading: Romans 8:9,11-13

The Scripture Text

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was Thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30 RSV)

Many of Jesus’ parables are about fishing, farming and herding because those were the three most common occupations in His day. The parable in today’s Gospel reading is aimed at getting the attention of the farmers in Jesus’ audience.

In this parable, Jesus says we should take His yoke upon our shoulders and learn from Him. A yoke, a type of harness a farmer uses to attach a couple of oxen to a plow or a wagon, looks like the McDonald’s golden arches over the shoulders of the two animals. With the yoke attached, the oxen share the burden of pulling the plow or the wagon.

If one of the oxen is old or sickly, the other ox has to work harder. Sometimes the farmer will team a young ox with an older, more experienced ox so the younger one will learn from the older one how to pull the yoke. Until the younger one gets the hang of it the older ox must do most of the work.

When Jesus says we should take His yoke and learn from Him, He is offering to share our burdens with us With Jesus helping us, our burden will be light and easy to pull. Just as the two oxen work side by side, Jesus is willing to walk beside us and help us as we travel through life. We do not have to face life’s problems all by ourselves.

Because our society values independence, most of us want to prove we can succeed on our own. This pride not only drives us further from each other, but it also drives us further from our God. In our obsession to do it by ourselves, we shut out all help from everyone else, even help from Jesus.

Maybe that’s why Jesus praises the Father for taking what was hidden from learned and the clever, and revealing it to the children. The learned and the clever are those who are those who are self-sufficient and less likely to accept Jesus’ help because they’d rather try to succeed on their own. Children, on the other hand, have no problem with being dependent on others. They are accustomed to looking around for assistance and are therefore more likely to turn to Jesus in their moment of need.

(Source: Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A,B, and C.)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess that without You, I am really nothing. I am grateful, however, that You are always present to help me. And,Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. May the Spirit who dwells in You dwell also in me, and lead me to love and trust the Father as You do. Amen.