December 09, 2015 Wednesday,
2nd Week of Advent
1st Reading: Is 40:25–31 Gospel: Mt 11:28–30 Jesus said to the crowds: “Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden is light.” D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE (Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience) The heaviest burden the people carried in those days was the “Yoke of Torah”. Torah is Hebrew for Instruction or Teaching, and referred to the first five books of the Old Testament attributed to Moses. What was burdensome about the Torah was the shield around it. There were so many oral laws meant to ensure perfect observance of the Torah. These were too detailed and extremely narrow that instead of facilitating they became a burden too hard for people to carry. Jesus invited the people to come to him because his law of love wasn’t as onerous. His was quantitatively more manageable because the Love Commandment is reduced to the essentials. We hasten to add, however, that the law of love is not a walk in the park. “For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and the Pharisees you will never get into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Jesus also referred to his Love Commandment as a yoke when he said, “For my yoke is good and my burden is light”. It is light but nevertheless a yoke since it engages the whole person “with all his heart with all his soul and with all his mind”. It can actually be just as heavy as the Yoke of Torah because where the Love Commandment is not narrow, meticulous and petty, it goes as deep as equating anger with murder and malicious staring at a woman with adultery (Matthew 5: 21 ff.). Worse, itrequires Christians to love their enemies! In what way was the Love Commandment lighter than the Yoke of Torahwhen both were yokes? Humility made the difference. Jesus said, “Takemy yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest.” Any slight inconvenience can be too heavyfor the proud, but none too heavy to the humble of heart. Factor in grace from above and you can imagine how light the burden becomes!We who labor under the yoke of the love commandment can take advantage of the Advent Season to deepen the virtue of humility. Perhaps the following play of the Alphabet will help. “Arrogant Believers Consider Disaster Each Failure. Go Humble Instead. Jesus Knows. Life’s Misfortunes Never Outdo Providence. Quit Renouncing Spirituality. Take Up Very Willingly Xst’s Yoke Zealously.” – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website:www.frdan.org..
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