By Naresh Namindla csc –
Readings: Is 26:7-9; Mt 11:28-30
We all know that carrying the yoke is the work of cows. The yoke is used on the cows/bulls for ploughing. The yoke is large in length and usually they are not placed on a single beast. It generally needs a pair. The beasts share the workload. It is easy to control and carry the burden because they walk in step.
The phrase “learn from me” reminds me of the relationship between Jesus and “Abba”, his Father. The big yoke Jesus had was, to fulfill the Father’s will and carry the cross. Jesus knew that the yoke of suffering was too hard, but he was able to fulfill the yoke of suffering because he was never a single person in his suffering. He always had his pair in the form of Abba, his Father. Therefore, he felt it easy to carry the cross without feeling any burden that it was heavy.
I consider the phrase -“come to me” as an invitation for each one of us to deepen our friendship and relationship with Jesus. We need to ask Jesus to be a companion in our life and in our ministry. If we live our life alone, and do his ministry without pairing up with Jesus, we feel heavy and burdensome. Whenever we feel dissatisfied with life and cannot cope with the life’s situations, we need to check whether we have lost our pairing up with Jesus.