A HUMAN YOKE

In Scripture today, Jesus is talking about yokes. Now, we know about animal yokes, and I have heard preachers use this analogy where we are joined by Jesus in this yoke designed for two beasts of burden. For instance, Paul talks about not being unequally yoked with this in mind. But in this passage Jesus is talking about human yokes – one’s that go across your shoulders to carry heavy things. This type of yoke is something described in Jeremiah, where it says, “make yourselves straps and yoke-bars and put them on your neck.” (Jer 27:2)

Metaphorically, a yoke is often used to speak of being in subjection to someone – in Jeremiah it refers to being subjected to the Babylonian empire and in the New Testament it is used to refer to slavery (1 Tim 6:1).

Jesus uses this image to talk about the traditions of the elders, which the Pharisees added to the Law or God’s will. Jesus speaks of this in Matthew where he says, “they tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear and lay them on people’s shoulders” (Mt 23:4). These are rules imposed on the Jewish people about how far they could walk on a Sabbath, rules about healing on the Sabbath, prescriptions on ritual washing, and on and on and on. You name the activity in life and there were rules for it; lots of them. Rules that went beyond the Law of Moses, but you had to follow them to be accepted. Burdens placed on the people, yet not necessarily lived and followed by the elders and Pharisees. Jesus rejected these man-made traditions. He did not come to laden us with a host of human rules, but to free us and guide us to the basics of God’s will for our lives.

Maybe you’re carrying a yoke today of human rules and expectations that are not God’s will for you. Maybe Christmas expectations that have become a heavy burden with the collision of secular and sacred traditions that we and others have laid on our shoulders. Burdens that often have nothing to do with what God has called us to be and the season for which we prepare and celebrate the coming of the true light and Word of God.

There are other yokes and burdens, like the yoke of slavery to Sin (Jn 8:34; Rom 6:16-20). This is where we live our lives apart from God’s will, doing our own will. Where sin, once chosen, becomes our master. It comes to control us, take over and ruin our lives, sending us down a path not of our choosing and away from the Light. 

Are you tired of carrying the burden of disappointing and hurting others, of hurting God – but you can’t break free? Whatever burdens we are carrying on our yoke today – Jesus is inviting us to lay these burdens down before Him and to take up his yoke. To receive him and the peace only he can give as we continue to prepare for his coming.

BEING CONTENT WITH FAMILY

“The Second Nun’s Tale” in The Canterbury Tales relates how Cecilia, Roman born and Christian reared, had secretly vowed her virginity to God. The Almighty in turn tendered her a guardian angel committed to helping her keep her vow even when she was constrained by her parents to marry a young pagan named Valerian. On her wedding night she revealed her secret to her new husband, who in return asked to see the angel. Cecilia agreed that that would happen if Valerian would become a Christian. To accomplish that conversion Cecilia sent him—and he agreed to go—to St. Urban, who became the agent of Valerian’s conversion.[1] Upon his return to Cecilia he did indeed meet the angel who crowned the pair with halos of roses and lilies that would never rot away or lose their fragrance and are visible only to those who serve chastity. The story then unfolds with a series of conversions (beginning with Valerian’s brother) and a series of martyrdoms, culminating in Cecilia’s.[2]

Have you ever noticed a married couple who enjoy being together? They may not be doing anything special or even speaking. Just being with each other is enough. Why? Close to each other, they feel loved, safe, and content. Storms may rage about them, but they are at peace.

When I think of Thanksgiving, I remember most fondly be content in family gatherings, the extended family gatherings. The ones where you have to borrow tables or make tables out of plywood and saw horses. The peace we experience in family life can help us understand being content in God’s presence. I know family life isn’t always peaceful and happy, our lives in general can be troubling, making us long for peace and security. But how can we find it when life’s challenges beset us?

Consider St. Cecilia and the mother in our first reading, their trust and faith. Entrusting and encouraging their husband and family to the promises of God. Nothing in this world can compare to the promises He has made for His faithful, even in the midst of this world’s complete insanity and allurements.

Let’s face it, we are all human beings and thus not quite perfect, yet created in the likeness and image of God. He promised he would always be with us, in the midst of our struggles, in the midst of our failings, in the midst of our joy, right there in the midst of our family gatherings. God chose us, to be his adopted family through His son, Jesus Christ and invites us to this Thanksgiving (Eucharistic) table, where He nourishes us to go bear fruit that will last.

Pope Francis’ tweet this morning was great food for thought as we gear up for our Thanksgiving celebrations with family and friends. He tweeted: “When we encounter others do we bring them the warmth of charity, or do we stay closed up and warm only ourselves before our fireplace?”

We and Annunciation Catholic Church wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving and may you be content in the presence of family and friends as God is in the midst of your gatherings.

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[1]  Who is Cecilia? What is She? by Wendell Howard. https://www.stthomas.edu/media/catholicstudies/center/logosjournal/archives/2015vol18/18-3-Howard.pdf

[2] Spiritual Marriage: Sexual Abstinence in Medieval Wedlock by Dilan Elliot

THE WALKING DEAD

The Walking Dead takes place after the onset of a worldwide zombie apocalypse. The zombies, referred to as "walkers", shamble towards living humans and other creatures to eat them. Humans that they bite or scratch become infected and slowly turn into walkers as well. It is revealed early in the series that all living humans carry this pathogen, so that if they die from any other cause, they will also turn into walkers. The only way to permanently kill a walker is to damage its brain or otherwise fully destroy the body, such as by cremating it. The Walking Dead has attracted the most 18- to 49-year-old viewers of any cable or broadcast television series. Now this age group should sound familiar, it is the same age group that is the fastest growing age group that identifies as “no religious preference”. So you’ve heard it said, “you are what you eat,” no pun intended, or that what you watch forms your habits in life. According to St. Augustine, bad entertainment can be seriously dangerous to your spiritual health.

While there may be disagreement on defining the Walking Dead as bad entertainment, let me share my limited perspective. I watched part of one episode and the commercial trailers. What I see as a theme is distrust of everyone, extreme violence, and the hopelessness of this is what we will all become walkers when we die. Just what our communities need to see more.

As our children and many adults hang up our Halloween costumes that sometimes mimics the characters of the walking dead after a night of going door to door to satisfy our need for sweets. All Hallows Eve has lost much of its connection to its religious origins and the following religious solemnity, is not widely practiced or acknowledged by most Americans unless they are devout Catholics.

Catholics celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual communion between those in the state of grace who have died and are either being purified in purgatory (the 'church penitent') or are in heaven (the 'church triumphant'), and the 'church militant' we who are the living.

During the Apostles' Creed we confess “I believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints." The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) asks and answers: "What is the Church if not the assembly of all the saints?" The communion of saints is the Church. CCC946

The term "communion of saints" therefore has two closely linked meanings: communion in holy things" and "among holy persons." CCC948

Therefore, unlike the characters and themes of the Walking Dead, we are walkers in this world with the hope and goal of being in communion with our heavenly Father, Son and Spirit through is communion mystery, a mystery that unites us with the saints who have been tried by this life and gone before us to the heavenly banquet, and we are walkers in communion with the saints we encounter in our daily ordinary lives.

Pope Francis tweeted this morning: “Dear friends, the world needs saints and we are called to holiness without exception. Don’t be afraid” to be the saints of today as we walk with each other and a world searching for hope.