December 10, 2014
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)
At a time when structures saddled the Jews with onerous laws Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you.” These laws included lots of enabling regulations intended to facilitate observance of the Ten Commandments. But they were so meticulous, too detailed and extremely narrow that instead of facilitating they became burdens too hard for people to carry. The Rabbis themselves referred to them collectively as the “yoke of Torah”.
The law that Jesus offered as alternative was lighter and easier to carry. It was reduced to the essentials and not as meticulous, detailed and extremely narrow. Nonetheless it was also a burden since Jesus was expecting followers to cultivate deeper spirituality. Jesus warned: “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).
The law of love is still a yoke because it engages the whole person “with all his heart with all his soul and with all his mind”. It might just be as heavy as the Torah because where the law of love is not narrow, meticulous and petty it prohibits not just murder but even anger; not just adultery but even every lustful glance at a woman (Matthew 5: 21 ff.); not just loving the neighbor but even loving the enemy.
In what manner then is the law of love lighter and more refreshing? Jesus said: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest.” A humble heart is the key! Experience tells us that any slight inconvenience is too heavy to the proud but too insignificant to the humble of heart. With grace from above that flows naturally to those who stoop low, the burden of love turns out to be light and easy to the humble of heart.
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 sentences with every word arranged alphabetically can 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: [email protected]. Website:www.frdan.org.
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