The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to consider our commission as followers of Christ and the support and comfort experienced in His Way.
The Reading from the Book of Exodus proclaims the Call and Commission of Moses.
* [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).” Note in this connection the invocation of Israel’s God as “LORD (Yhwh) of Hosts” (e.g., 1 Sm 17:45). In any case, out of reverence for God’s proper name, the term Adonai, “my Lord,” was later used as a substitute. The word LORD (in small capital letters) indicates that the Hebrew text has the sacred name (Yhwh), the tetragrammaton. The word “Jehovah” arose from a false reading of this name as it is written in the current Hebrew text. The Septuagint has egō eimi ho ōn, “I am the One who is” (ōn being the participle of the verb “to be”). This can be taken as an assertion of God’s aseity or self-existence, and has been understood as such by the Church, since the time of the Fathers, as a true expression of God’s being, even though it is not precisely the meaning of the Hebrew. (Exodus, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 105 is a hymn to God, Who is faithful to the promise of land to the ancestors.
* [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), Israel in the desert on the way to Canaan (Ps 105:39–45)—God remained faithful, reiterating the promise of the land to successive servants. (Psalms, PSALM 105 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Matthew proclaims the Gentle Mastery of Christ.
* [11:28–29] These verses are peculiar to Matthew and are similar to Ben Sirach’s invitation to learn wisdom and submit to her yoke (Sir 51:23, 26).
* [11:28] Who labor and are burdened: burdened by the law as expounded by the scribes and Pharisees (Mt 23:4).
* [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. (Matthew, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)
A Member of the Creighton University Community shares a reflection on the Gentle Yoke.
The Gospel passage speaks quite clearly to me. If I am willing to lay my burdens on Christ’s shoulders I can have rest. It doesn’t say our troubles will go away but we will become lightened of our burdens. So in recent months I’ve had a daughter marry and with that come my own anxieties for her future. Perhaps this is irrational, but a worry none the less. I’ve seen friends younger than me die and others that received badly diagnoses. My immediate reaction to this news is “should I be expecting the same soon.” The reality is that these and many other 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. (Reflection on the Gentle Yoke, n.d.)
Don Schwager 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). (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Exodus 3:13-20 comments that we who are created will never be able to fully comprehend the One who created us. We who have a beginning can’t possibly encompass the One who is and who has never not been. He is the source of everything that exists. And amazingly enough, he is always with us, present to his people, always ready to save us.
Today, take some time to ponder God’s name: I am who am. Close your eyes and acknowledge that he is with you, all around you, supporting you and keeping you—and all things—in existence. Acknowledge that he’s not just some vague life force. God is a Person who sees you, who cares about you, and who wants what’s best for you. That’s one of the main truths he was trying to tell Moses: The One Who Is has always been and will always be with his people!
“Lord God, thank you that you are so much greater than I can comprehend, and yet you are with me!” (Meditation on Exodus 3:13-20, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts today.
Barbara Holmes (1943–2024) writes about the challenges and healing power of darkness. The church talk about an association of darkness with evil and goodness with light made no sense. She knew that darkness held and healed me. So, there had to be many types of darkness that she could differentiate, dismiss, or embrace. Holmes quotes Linda Anderson-Little:
The eclipse reminds us to linger in the darkness, to savor the silence, to embrace the shadow—for the light is coming, the resurrection is afoot, transformation is unfolding, for God is working in secret and in silence to create us anew. [1] (Holmes, n.d.)
We ponder the challenges in our mission and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to connect us to the love, mercy, and compassion we find in the yoke with Jesus.
References
Exodus, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/3?13
Holmes, B. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 17, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/inner-light-and-beloved-darkness/
Matthew, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11?28
Meditation on Exodus 3:13-20. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 17, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/07/17/1334139/
Psalms, PSALM 105 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/105?1
Reflection on the Gentle Yoke. (n.d.). Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved July 17, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-18-2019
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Take My Yoke upon You and Learn from Me. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 17, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jul17
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