The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with the idea of the fundamental role of our freedom of choice in our life journey of experience of God.
Opportunity to hope
The passage from the Book of Exodus concluding the Call and Commission of Moses is where God responds to Moses request to know God’s name with a wordplay.
* [3:14] I am who I am: Moses asks in v. 13 for the name of the One speaking to him, but God responds with a wordplay which preserves the utterly mysterious character of the divine being even as it appears to suggest something of the inner meaning of God’s name: ‘ehyeh “I am” or “I will be(come)” for “Yhwh,” the personal name of the God of Israel. While the phrase “I am who I am” resists unraveling, it nevertheless suggests an etymological linking between the name “Yhwh” and an earlier form of the Hebrew verbal root h-y-h “to be.” On that basis many have interpreted the name “Yhwh” as a third-person form of the verb meaning “He causes to be, creates,” itself perhaps a shortened form of a longer liturgical name such as “(God who) creates (the heavenly armies).”1
Psalm 105 is a hymn to God. Israel is invited to praise and seek the presence of God (Ps 105:1–6), who is faithful to the promise of land to the ancestors (Ps 105:7–11), in every phase of the national story—the ancestors in the land of Canaan (Ps 105:12–15), Joseph in Egypt (Ps 105:16–22), and Israel in Egypt.
* [Psalm 105] A hymn to God who promised the land of Canaan to the holy people, cf. Ps 78; 106; 136. Israel is invited to praise and seek the presence of God (Ps 105:1–6), who is faithful to the promise of land to the ancestors (Ps 105:7–11). In every phase of the national story—the ancestors in the land of Canaan (Ps 105:12–15), Joseph in Egypt (Ps 105:16–22), Israel in Egypt (Ps 105:23–38).2
The Gospel from Matthew invites us to accept the gentle mastery of Christ as support and guide for our mission.
* [11:29] In place of the yoke of the law, complicated by scribal interpretation, Jesus invites the burdened to take the yoke of obedience to his word, under which they will find rest; cf. Jer 6:16.3
Joe Zaborowski shares that the Gospel passage speaks quite clearly to him. If he is willing to lay his burdens on Christ’s shoulders he can have rest.
The reality is... many… irrational fears can be dealt with. The answer is coming to Christ and laying everything on His shoulders. When I do this, I truly can live a life with my yoke lightened.4
Don Schwager shares some Hebrew understanding about yokes…
The Jews used the image of a yoke to express submission to God. They spoke of the yoke of the law, the yoke of the commandments, the yoke of the kingdom, and the yoke of God. Jesus says his yoke is "easy". The Greek word for "easy" can also mean "well-fitting". Yokes were tailor-made to fit the oxen well. Oxen were yoked two by two. Jesus invites us to be yoked with him, to unite our life with his life, our will with his will, and our heart with his heart. To be yoked with Jesus is to be united with him in a relationship of love, trust, and obedience.5
and he quotes “Grace bear us,” by an anonymous early author from the Greek church.
"'My yoke is easy and my burden light.' ... The prophet says this about the burden of sinners: 'Because my iniquities lie on top of my head, so they have also placed a heavy burden on me' (Psalm 38:4)' ...'Place my yoke upon you, and learn from me that I am gentle and humble of heart.' Oh, what a very pleasing weight that strengthens even more those who carry it! For the weight of earthly masters gradually destroys the strength of their servants, but the weight of Christ rather helps the one who bears it, because we do not bear grace; grace bears us. It is not for us to help grace, but rather grace has been given to aid us.' (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY, the Greek fathers).5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 11:28-30 comments we can say that the yoke punishes and burdens the oxen, but when both are going in the same direction, it actually makes their work easier. Usually one ox takes the lead and sets the direction, while the second ox learns how to follow. As they learn the positive and negative effects of the yoke over time, they discover how beneficial it can be.
This helps us understand Jesus’ saying that being yoked to him lightens our burdens. That’s the way a yoke is supposed to work! It teaches us to let him set the course. It teaches us to follow the One who has yoked himself to us in a covenant of love. We also experience what happens as we try to go our own way. We see how fighting God’s lead causes us pain. As Paul understood in Acts 26:14, by kicking “against the goad” (a tool used to drive oxen), he only hurt himself. But when he followed Jesus, he was far more peaceful—and far more fruitful! Because we are humans, we are designed to learn through trial and—sometimes painful—error. That may sound harsh, but we can be confident that Jesus is extremely patient. He never stops loving us and trying to lead us. He knows that we will become more docile to his leading as we experience the wonderful effects of following him. He is confident that we will learn.6
Among Christians, the idea of mystery referred not so much to what is secret as to what is hidden. And topping the list of hidden things is God . . . : as the prophet Isaiah wrote, “Truly, you are a God who hides” (Isaiah 45:15). Meanwhile, Jesus, the Son of God, represented the hidden things of God made manifest—and not only in Christ himself, but also in his followers, who were said to be part of his “body.” So, mystery in Christianity involves the hidden things of God made manifest, or revealed, in the hearts and minds and spirituality of those who love God and follow Christ.7
I often contemplate my experience of relationship with God that is miraculously attuned to my daily life and how moving on my daily journey is an encounter with people and events through which my yoke with Jesus offers opportunities for me to choose, according to the Biblical meme, directions toward greater between life or spiritual death.
I agree with Father Richard that mystics teach us how to find God in these daily opportunities. A great mystic is someone who has been recognized as doing this particularly well.
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