7-2-20 - Come Unto Me

You can listen to this reflection here. Sunday's gospel reading is here. 

Were sweeter words ever found in Scripture for a harried people? “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

To be a disciple implies taking on the discipline of a master, doing whatever he or she tells you to do. The Pharisees and teachers of the law demanded much of their followers, to keep the Law of Moses perfectly in every particular. Nuances of love, mercy and relationship often fell by the wayside. The burdens of these demands were heavy indeed, and never satisfactorily met - except by the Teachers, of course.

The same can be said of the demands our culture places on us – to be more productive, more successful, more financially secure, more fashionable, attractive, sweet-smelling, popular, you name it. The new law is no less onerous than the old. So Jesus’ invitation is alive for us as well.

We take on a yoke when we take on Christ’s life – yokes being the apparatus placed on oxen so they can pull a cart. We offer our obedience to him and take on the ministry of pulling forward his mission, being his apostles, his witnesses – proclaiming the Good News, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, freeing the captives. Like his original disciples, we are sometimes called to give up things or people we find precious for rewards only known later.

But Jesus says his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. Unlike the burden of the Law-bound, his is the yoke of freedom in God. Unlike the arrogant Teachers, he is gentle and humble in heart, never ashamed to eat with obvious sinners and people on the margins.

Do you want to find rest for your soul? In many of us, our soul is the most restless part, especially in a culture that does not privilege space for the spiritual.
Have you experienced knowing Jesus as restful or stressful? 

 If it’s stressful, let’s take a look at what part of his message we’re focusing on.

What can you do today to find rest for your soul? Normally, you might be in high gear planning to get away for the holiday weekend or host a gathering, which would be pretty much the opposite of finding rest for your soul, right? This year, you may instead be worrying about the contracting Covid or what’s happening to your retirement savings. If there is stress in your life, ask Jesus to refresh you in the midst of it.

And if you’re staying put and having a quiet long weekend (what is a weekend when we’re always home?), may I suggest you start with some “soul rest” time in Jesus’ presence? (Here’s a lovely song by Jami Smith based on this reading to help you settle in.) Hand off your burdens and take on his promise of peace. And spread it around.

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