Rest
A homily preached by Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli at St. Matthew’s UMC July 3, 2011, the third Sunday after Pentecost.
Texts: Romans 7:15-25a, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” These words from Jesus in our Gospel today wash over me like cool water on a hot summer day. What a promise; what a gift. It took me a minute to realize, though, that as soon as Jesus says, in essence, “Let me help you lighten your load,” he invites us to take on something else: “Take my yoke upon you…” Are we asked to exchange one burden for another or—worse—add something to an already full plate? And anyone who knows the story of Jesus knows that what we are asked to do as followers of Jesus is far from easy; the task of living, loving, and serving as Christ in the world is no light task. And yet the words still resonate for me, still feel like a balm to soothe the weary, aching places in my body and soul—maybe because I so long for them to be true…
We live in a culture that prizes work and efficient production; we live in a culture where the busiest person may be considered the most important…if you’re not busy, you must be lazy or apathetic or past being useful or something. You may balk at that statement, but I invite you to ponder it before dismissing it outright. Our expectations of ourselves are great, our workplaces lay heavy burdens on our time, energy, and skills. The needs of our families and friends are many, and our own body and soul needs care and attention. Some of us have parents, children, or spouses who require a great deal of care and support; others of us work long hours and still struggle to get by… All of this can leave us feeling weary and burdened. And the answer from the culture is always (or often) DO MORE—find time to exercise, design an action plan to organize your life, get a better job… self-help books abound to help us try to manage the many needs and burdens of our lives. All of this can end up making us not only bone-tired, but also anxious and frustrated. I KNOW I should get to the gym or set aside time to set some goals and priorities for my life; I KNOW I should try to set boundaries at work so that I have more time and energy for the relationships that matter most. We know what we need to do and yet so often can’t seem to do it.
“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.” How do these words truly speak to us today? The metaphor of the “yoke” is instructive. A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull. It can also refer to a frame fitting over the neck and shoulders of a person, used for carrying pails or baskets. Yokes were carved carefully to fit the animal or the person who would be using the device; a carefully made yoke would rest well on the shoulders and wouldn’t bind or blister. The Greek word for “easy” can also mean “well-fitting.” The well-fitting yoke was used to make carrying a burden or pulling a load easier. And the yoke most often was used in pairs—it allowed two animals to share a load, thus lightening the load for both. The Judeo-Christian tradition uses the metaphor of the yoke to describe the way of God revealed through the law and the prophets. It is also a word used to describe the teachings and way of life of Jewish Rabbis. A disciple of a given Rabbi would apprentice with that teacher, would take on the “yoke” of that teacher. When Jesus invites you to “take his yoke upon you,” what is being offered is not an “easy” life without any burdens, challenges, or responsibilities. Instead, you and I are offered a yoke that is well-fitting, that will bind us to Christ and to one another, so that the burdens we bear become lighter. To put on the yoke of Christ is to be an apprentice of Jesus, to seek to live according to his teachings and to live according to his way. But I think we miss the point if we hear in that as just one more “to do” list. To bear Christ’s yoke, to live according to Christ’s way is—at the heart of it—about trust, about love, about openness to a larger vision, about life in and through God. Earlier in our passage today, Jesus prays with thanksgiving that God’s wisdom is revealed to “infants”—to those who are open and learning and receptive…those who don’t think they have it all figured out and feel that it’s all up to them to manage everything alone. To trust God, to let the law of love be our guide, to keep our lives in perspective by recognizing that all our lives are “in God”—these ways of traveling, yoked with Christ to help guide us and support us, will make our journey lighter, more meaningful, less anxiety-ridden, more hopeful.
When we are trying to journey through our lives on our own, disconnected from a living trust that God is with us, breathing life and love into us, strengthening us, picking us up when we have fallen, calling us home when we have gotten lost, and embracing us when we approach—when we forget that or disconnect from that reality—we can end up wearing a yoke that bruises and even wounds us more deeply still. We can end up struggling under the weight not only of the challenges and questions of our lives, but also of the weight of our striving, our trying to force things, control things… This causes weariness and anxiety. The way of Christ is a way that leans confidently into God’s grace, gives life over to the flow of God’s love and trusts that even in the midst of challenge, God is present and actively working to bring something beautiful—healing, comfort, insight, wisdom, joy, peace. If you take your hands and make fists, you can feel the tension flowing up through your arms, into your shoulders, and you may even feel the tension land in your face. You may find that you start to hold your breath. This is the way we so often travel through life—and it so often feels necessary in order to manage all that we face in life. But today Jesus says “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.” Take those same fists and gently open your hands…feel a sense of relaxation and your breath return…To trust God as Jesus did is kind of like that. Open your hands and your heart and your mind to receive God’s love, mercy, and wisdom. Breathe deeply of the Spirit’s abiding presence and strength and renewing power. Walk mindfully through your days remembering that you are yoked with Christ who will help you bear whatever burdens are upon you. Worry and anxiety and striving are unnecessary and make us tired and cranky. Jesus reminds us that there is another way, a way that will give rest to our souls and make all our living, working, loving, and serving lighter, more peaceful, more joyful: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me…” Take on the yoke of openness to God, the yoke of love, the yoke of trust and you will find rest for your souls. Openness, love, trust. Can it really be as simple as that?
