YOKED TO JESUS

Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time
Mt 11:28-30

To get the whole picture of what Jesus means today in His invitation to us, we need to consider how oxen are yoked together in Palestine. Two animals, not one, pull a very heavy load together. When Jesus invites us, “Shoulder My yoke and learn from me…,” He, therefore, is not giving His yoke to us. Jesus is sharing His yoke with us.

Who says that Jesus is passing His burden to us? Who says that Jesus wants us to carry His burden for Him? Who says that Jesus commands us to pull the load alone? Whoever says so is gravely mistaken.

When we accept Jesus’ invitation, we are yoked to Him. We are to “carry the weight” together with Jesus, not for Jesus, and much less without Jesus. Not to be yoked to Jesus as we “carry the weight” means disaster and even death for us. Never “carry the weight” alone. No one asks us to do so.

Being yoked to Jesus gives us the blessed assurance that Jesus is right there with us when we become tired and weak. His strength can “pull the weight” for us. His strength can give us rest. We can depend on Jesus as His strength strengthens us.

Sometimes, we get our selves yoked to other than Jesus. We get entangled to so many attachments, both people and things. When we are yoked to people or things, we do not find rest. We become weaker instead.

Get yoked to Jesus!