Read Online
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble
of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is
easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11:29–30
For those first followers of Jesus, a “yoke” was a familiar term.
Many would have worked with oxen and other animals on a regular
basis to plow their fields. To do so, they would place a wooden
yoke over the oxen, which was a form of harness that was also
attached to the plow, making it easier for the oxen to till the
soil. To be strapped with a yoke was an indication of servitude,
since that was the role of the oxen.
In commenting upon this passage, Saint Augustine (in Sermon
126) analogized the yoke of Christ with the wings of a bird. A
bird's wings are large in comparison to its body. As a result, if
someone were to conclude that removing the wings from a bird would
make its life easier by ridding it of that excess weight, such an
action would have the effect of keeping it bound to the earth. But
give its wings back and that “yoke” will enable it to soar through
the skies.
So it is with the yoke of our Lord. If we accept the invitation to
be a servant of God and we take upon ourselves the yoke of Christ
for the fulfillment of our mission of service, we will discover
that the act of serving lightens us, refreshes us, invigorates us
and energizes us. Service of God is what we are made for, just as a
bird is made to have wings. And like the bird, if we remove the
yoke of service of God from our lives, then we are weighed down and
cannot accomplish the good we are meant to do.
We are also told in this passage that we are not to carry our yoke;
rather, we are meant to carry Christ’s yoke. “Take my yoke upon
you…,” Jesus said. Carrying Jesus’ yoke means we are called to live
our lives with Him and in Him. He came to serve and to give His
life for others. It is our duty to do the same by allowing Him to
do so within us. It is Christ and His servitude that must be the
motivation and foundation of our lives.
Reflect, today, upon your call to be a servant in Christ. How is
God calling you to serve? Whom is God calling you to serve? And as
you answer that question, how do you see your act of service? Does
service seem burdensome to you? Or do you understand that it is
what you are made for? If you do see humble service as a burden,
then perhaps that is because you have not actually tried to serve
with and in Christ Himself. Try to ponder Jesus placing His yoke
upon your shoulders. Say “Yes” to that act and to the mission of
humble service you are called to fulfill. Doing so wholeheartedly
will not only refresh you, it will also give meaning and purpose to
your life.
My gentle Lord, You came to us to serve and to give Your life
out of love. Give me the grace I need to accept Your act of service
to me and to also imitate and participate in the service to which I
am called. May I take Your yoke upon me, dear Lord, so that I can
fulfill the mission that You have entrusted to me. Jesus, I trust
in You.
Source of content:
catholic-daily-reflections.com
Copyright 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission via RSS feed.
Featured image above: flickr
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.