Brief Reflection on Matthew 11:28-29

Some of us think that the Gospel of Matthew was the first Gospel to be written simply because when they open their Bible and go to the New Testament, it is the first book. But it is not! The first Gospel to be written is the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel of Matthew is the second to be written. Scripture scholars tell us that the unknown author heavily relied on the Gospel of Mark and other source of oral and written traditions known as “Q” Source. Now, even though the writer of Matthew relied greatly on the Gospel of Mark, there are some passages in it that are unique to it. You cannot find them in the other Gospels. One of those passages is Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” 

Originally, Jesus gave this invitation to all those who found the interpretation and understanding of the Law as taught by the Scribes and Pharisees burdensome to come to him and embrace a new yoke. His warm invitation to embrace his new yoke will offer rest and easy path for those burdened by the heavy religious regulations and obligations. Jesus wasn’t lawless and he never advocated for lawlessness. But he went after laws that were discriminatory in nature. He attacked laws that divided people. Mostly through actions, he went after laws designed to perpetrate racial divisions and tensions. The only law that mattered and that still matters is the law of love. When Jesus extended the invitation to embrace his yoke, he asked the people of his time and generations after to embrace his love, which is easy and light. Love can be seen in every aspects of life. If we study the quality of the heart, we will see that the heart quality is a loving quality. I believe that it is easier to love than to hate. It takes a lot of energy to actually hate. Love is easier because it flows from the heart. It’s natural to the heart. It’s the natural quality of the human heart. 

Today, this warm invitation of Jesus has taken a broader meaning, interpretation and application. The people of his time wrestled with the overwhelming burden of the Law. Religious regulations weighed heavily on their shoulders. Religion, which supposed to be a liberating phenomenon, was used as an instrument of enslavement. But uncomfortable, irrelevant and nonsensical religious rules may not be your burden today. If you have any burden, this Gospel still applies to you. If you find your health, finances, relationship, marriage, family, job, politics etc. burdensome, the Lord is inviting you to come to him. Whatever it is that is making your life uncomfortable, take it to Jesus and remember to embrace the new life he is offering. A lot of people stop at taking their burden to him. After bringing their worries and sources of them to Jesus, they do not go all the way to accepting his new yoke. If you stop at taking your yoke to him, you may not be able to enjoy the new life of ease he offers. 

What are your burdens today? What do you find burdensome? Do not forget you can find rest in the loving arms of Jesus our Savior. 

God bless you!

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Wednesday, December 7, 2016