Take my Yoke upon you and learn from Me

Ish 26:7-9.12.16-19, Mt. 11:28-30. Isaiah has seen a great decline of faith among his people. Thus, in today’s first reading, Isaiah prays: “My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.” Isaiah’s prayer is to a God in whom he trusts, despite all the troubles he has seen in his lifetime. He learned a spirituality of waiting on God and trusting in His Providence. He trusts that God will “makes smooth the path of the righteous” and can be relied upon despite all rages. Therefore, Isaiah hopes that darkness is almost over and his nation is like a pregnant woman soon to bear a child. In Isaiah’s prophecy, we learn to appreciate God’s presence with us best in our time of need.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals this same aspect of God: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and l 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.” By his intimate relationship with us, God makes our yoke easy and our burden light. He is conscious that life can be weary and burdensome, yet does not make any false, easy promises. The yoke will remain, as will the burden, but with His help they become easy and light. The difference is made by the presence of Jesus who is “gentle and humble of heart.” The God who is with us always, promising ultimate peace at the end, is a gentle and loving Lord. We are called to come to Him, as He comes to us, to relate to Him in love, as He has given Himself for us in love. In coming to Him we discover Him to be, not an impersonal taskmaster, but someone who is gentle and humble in heart. The living out of our relations walking with Him will be demanding; in His way often requires saying ‘no’ to other, seemingly more attractive, ways. However, His demands are the demands of love; the path He puts before us is life-giving rather than oppressive and overburdening. His loving relationship with us and ours with Him empowers us to take that path, to walk in His way.

May the Lord lead us in the right path and lightening up for us our burden! Amen!! Good morning and have a great day!!!