Homily, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

14th Sunday In Ordinary Time

Readings: Zechariah 9:9-10; Romans 8:9, 11-13; Matthew 11:25-30

There are several cities across the world that host marathons that remarkably attract tens of thousands of runners. What is even more incredible is the percentage of people who actually finish these races, people who look so “ordinary” and yet somehow have the motivation to run more miles in one day than I probably manage to run in weeks!  How do they accomplish that? 

However, I also wonder how many of those same runners would finish all 26.2 miles if they were running all by themselves, on deserted streets, with no one around. My guess is that many wouldn’t even want to try or would give up once they felt over-fatigued. It’s one thing to run a race (or do anything difficult) with others at your side (with others cheering you on), and a much different thing to do it all by yourself.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Every time I hear these words of Jesus my first instinct is to ask in what way are our burdens “light”? Is Jesus saying that everything will be smooth sailing if we follow him? Well, a lot of our difficulty with this reading might come from the fact that “yoke” and “burden” seem to be such negative words. We hear them and think of toil, exhaustion or being forced to do unpleasant things against our will. Maybe that’s not the image Jesus is going for at all. 



What is a yoke? And why is this image used by Jesus? A yoke is a cross piece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and is attached to a plow that they both pull. The yoke is a very practical and effective piece of equipment. By connecting the two animals, it provides a balance to the efforts of each animal. The animals work together, walk the same path, and the strong one will aid the weaker one. The yoke is a great aid for tilling the field and assuring the fullness of the harvest. However, the yoke was a heavy piece that took some effort to properly set up and to carry. Likewise, the word “burden” doesn’t have to be a “bad” thing. It can simply mean the “work” or the “goal” we are trying to achieve. 

Our Lord Jesus offers us his own yoke, a different yoke, a yoke that is light and easy to carry. Jesus understands that life for many people is often strenuous, difficult, and tiresome. We can be laden down with so many things: fear of what the future may bring, loss of a sense of purpose, weariness from years of working, and seemingly endless obligations. This is why Jesus offers us His yoke. He wants to join us with him, to walk beside us and to carry us when we are tired, in despair or simply lost. And much like that physical yoke which is used to produce a full and abundant harvest when the time is right, the yoke of Jesus does the same, except this harvest is bountiful beyond our imagination. In difficult and challenging times Jesus is always with us. We may not feel his presence, and this can be great trial, but he is there, nonetheless. The Lord offers rest, not in the physical sense, but in the sense that anxiety, fear, and doubt can all be dispelled from our life. True peace and joy will only be found in the one who has the power to offer these: Jesus Christ.

If you think about those who run marathons, the reason so many are able to finish is because they are “in” it with other people who are there to help, encourage and inspire them. Marathon runners feel a part of something bigger than themselves especially when there are charities that stand to benefit from their efforts. 

Jesus encourages the crowds, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest”. He says the same words to us today. Let us turn to the Lord for comfort, for his yoke is easy and his burden light… May God help us take up the yoke of Christ and follow him in speaking the truth lovingly, offering forgiveness to those who wrong us, and praying for our enemies. 

Question of the week: Who are you going to reach out to this week in an effort to lighten their burden? And how can we share their yoke, like oxen working in tandem?