Gospel: Matthew 11, 25 – 30
At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. 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.”
Homily
I remember some wise person saying to me many years ago; “Fr. Joe you fly off the handle too quickly. Remember it takes far more energy to get vexed than it does to stay calm. Why not try staying calm, it is better for your health.” I have tried to take that bit of advice. It has not been easy because it meant undoing a long established habit but I can tell you, in the end it has been, worth it.
I remembered that incident when I began to prepare for this weekend because of the words of Jesus in the Gospel; “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.”
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In order to understand this saying of Jesus, it is important to look at the context in which it is said. Jesus has just finished talking to the multitude and extolling the virtues of John the Baptist.
Jesus then condemns the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum for their lack of repentance in the face of all the miracles which had been worked in them. This lack of repentance referred to their persistence in sin and their attachment to the sinful structures which brought the injustices with which these cities were plagued.
Jesus then addressed the Father thanking him for revealing the Gospel message through him to the multitude of poor and sick and oppressed who surrounded him. Jesus was in fact calling on this multitude of poor and sick and oppressed people to reject the value systems which were prevalent in these cities, value systems which did not bring happiness but which rather were the cause of so much pain and suffering. Jesus invited this multitude to imitate him promising them that in so doing they would find the peace and happiness which they lacked. ; “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” The first reading of the Mass for this weekend expresses this theme using the prophet Zechariah; “Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion, shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass. He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem;
the warrior’s bow shall be banished, and he shall proclaim peace to the nations.” The message is very clear. When we accept Jesus and his message we attain the harmony which all of us desire so greatly.
There is a danger however and a temptation for all of us to live by those values which characterized the cites of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, cities condemned by Jesus. St. Paul calls these values, values of the flesh and warns us; Consequently, brothers and sisters, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
The pertinent question for all of us is this: As a people, what characterizes us? The values of the flesh or the values of the Spirit? The answer it would seem if we are truthful would be, the values of the flesh! This will only change however if each one of us takes it as our sacred duty to live by the values of the Spirit. There were ages in the church when this was done. There were ages when sanctity flourished. We have to make of this age an age of sanctity. It will not be easy. It will mean the undoing of long established habits but as the calypsonian says; “We can make it if we try!”
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, your Son has given us a model of virtuous living. To accept this model and live it will not be easy. It will demand of us the undoing of long entrenched habits. Help us with your graces. Give us the wisdom to recognize our need of change. Give us the grace to want that change and the courage to undertake it. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our Mother and the same Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
