READINGS AND REFLECTION  : THURSDAY,  16 JULY 2020

Isaiah 26 : 7 – 9, 12 -19       Psalm 102 : 12 – 22      Matthew 11:28 – 30

Collect :

O God of mercy,

By your Holy Spirit you nourish

us with life;

plant us now in good soil,

that we may bear the fruit

of justice and peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit, One God now

and forever.

Amen

The Gospel, in many of its passages, is demanding and requires an unconditional commitment to the following of Jesus Christ.  We see that clearly in the contrast Jesus made, between the demands of the Law and what he expected from his followers.  Yet we see how this is balanced, by the other side of God – God’s compassion and understanding of our human weakness and frailty. 

Today he invites us “come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”.  Jesus refers to the burden of the Law and the many other legalistic observances which had accumulated over the generations.  Jesus invites us to come to him and experience comfort and consolation. 

The yoke was usually made from a circular wooden halter which was placed on the animal’s neck, and harnessed to a plough, cart, or other vehicle. Pegs, two on each side, with the neck of the animal between them, were tacked to the halter from underneath. A harness which encircled the neck of the animal from underneath was attached to these pegs. The remaining parts of the harness which were connected to the cart, plough, or other vehicle were connected to the halter of the yoke itself. The ordinary yoke was designed for two animals, but yokes for only one animal were also common.

The yoke was a symbol of servitude in the Bible. In order to emphasize the weight of oppression, the yoke is sometimes described as of iron (“therefore in hunger and thirst in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.” Deut. 28:48 ). It was also a symbol of the burden of slavery or taxes upon the people (My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” Kings 12:11), while freedom from oppression was described in poetic and prophetic literature as the breaking of the yoke (Jer. 5:5).

A yoke can be heavy, but it makes it easier for the ox to pull the cart  or  plough together.  Jesus’ yoke is the yoke of love. Lifting and guiding and sharing the heaviness of what we carry and experience with him. On the one hand, it also restricts us from acting in certain ways, and points us in the right direction.  It is like the “narrow door” which Jesus invites us to go through rather,  rather than follow the wide road that may lead to nowhere. 

Jesus calls us to learn from him in his gentleness and humility.  This was in stark contrast to the severity and arrogance of other religious leaders.  Not only are we to experience the gentleness of Jesus, we are also to practise it in our own dealings with others.

William Barclay offers another idea.  It was quite common to have double yokes when two animals pulled a vehicle together.  Barclay suggests that Jesus is offering to share his yoke with us.  He and I will pull together and he will share the burden with me.  In either case, Jesus assures us that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. 

Jesus expects us to give all of ourselves to him, when we do so, we discover that what he asks is right and meant, for us.  To follow Jesus is not to carry a great weight, but to experience a great sense of freedom.  The fresh and new freedom that Christ offers.
All freedom has consequences and as we face these consequences, the changes in our lives are made lighter by the yoke that connects us to Christ as he leads and guides us. 

“You will never walk alone” (sung by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey) also the motto and theme song of the Liverpool Football Club, speaks so real to these verses – with Christ we are never alone.  His yoke of love ties us to him and our walk is with him.

Let us Pray : 

God,

who is always present,

we began this day with you.

As the sun rises, so too our prayers and praises rise before you.

As we journey throughout this day, help us to also end this day with you.

May we know that the same God who is present with us today,

will be with us tomorrow.

So, we believe that tomorrow, as it is today, we will know God’s presence is with us in all we do. 

Amen

(Pilgrim Prayer, 93, adapted)