Different Dimensions of Yoke

14th Ordinary Sunday "A" cycle

Gospel Matthew 11:25-30

"Different Dimensions of Yoke

1) "Jesus' Yoke is to share the burden"

a) A yoke is an instrument which helps to share the burden equally between the partners.

b) Yoke always keeps two oxen together while working. Similarly Jesus always with us specially when we work for His Kingdom.

c) When the burden is shared, it becomes easy to work. That's why Jesus says my yoke is easy because he is always on the other side to help us.

d) Working with yoke also needs co-operation, adjustment, doing the will of other, and a sense of team spirit. Only then one can work withyoke.

2) "Why Jesus' Yoke is Easy and Burden is Light"

a) First of all Jesus speaks about 'giving' something rather than 'receiving'. "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest". When you give something to the other something goes out and one does not accumulate anything. So it is very easy to conclude why and how Jesus' yoke is easy and burden is light.

b) When one gives something to the other he feels very happy and joyful. Such a feeling will never makes a person to feel heavy or burdened. Rather he feels free and cheerful. This is why Jesus' yoke is easy and burden is light.

c) The values of Jesus are: forgiveness, love for enemies, service, reaching out to some one who is in need, sharing, justice, Truth, mercy, concern for others, option for the poor. All these are kingdom values. These kingdom values will never make our life's yoke difficult and burden so heavy. But they make our life meaningful and joyful.

d) A person whose life is governed by hatred, jealousy, revenge, laziness, anger, pleasure, desire for worldly things, money, power, authority and selfishness become so heavy and burdensome, at times he/she is not able to carry it. So life becomes miserable and useless. Vices only make our life's yoke difficult and burden heavy.

e) Is my life governed by the kingdom values or worldly vices. Do I feel that my life's yoke easy and burden light or do I feel that they are difficult and heavy? It all depends on me.

Jesus with your help make my life's yoke easy and burden light

3) "How Jesus' Yoke is Easy and Burden is Light"

a) Jesus went about Doing good. In fact doing good does not make ones yoke difficult or burden heavy

b) Jesus said to Love ones enemies and he forgave his enemies from the cross. Forgiveness makes ones yoke easy and burden light

c) Wherever Jesus went there He brought about new life, either physical or spiritual. Giving new life always makes ones Yoke easy and burden light.

d) Creativity is at the Centre of Jesus' life. Such a creativity made his yoke easy and burden light

e) Jesus always worked in Group. Team spirit is what we see in His mission. Such a team spirit made His yoke easy and burden light.

f) Prayer and relationship with the Father is the foundation of Jesus' Spirituality. Such an attitude made His yoke easy and burden light.

g) When yoke becomes hard and burden becomes heavy its difficult to move forward and we suffer a lot. These are some of the things in our lives which make our yoke hard and burden heavy

- Revenge – Jealously – Anger  - Cheating – Violence – Laziness - Narrow Mentality - Pride,  - Prejudices - Self Righteousness - Addiction to  various things - Seeking for bodily pleasures

Following Jesus' way of life will make our Yoke easy and Burden Light

God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones 

Fr Maxim DSouza

Jeppu Seminary

Mangalore