Rest a while

A small Gospel reading, but big things come in small packages.

Jesus said, “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.”

The very nature of a yoke is that it is made for two!

No doubt in the workshop of Joseph, Jesus would have assisted in producing many yokes for donkeys, mules, and horses. He would know the difference between one that fitted well and one that chafed the animal’s neck.

[I am informed that in the Yellow Pages for the township of Nazareth, there was an advertisement that ran, “Joseph and Son, quality carpenters: our yokes are easy, the burden will be light.”]

Just down from the Church property on the island of Ovalau in the Fiji group of islands, there was a small land holding, and frequently the land was readied using oxen yoked together.

I would sit on the porch of the parish house and watch the landowner working his oxen.

One day, I wandered over and, for want of a better phrase, asked Josefa, “How does a new young ox learn the yoke trade“

“Simple” the landowner replied, “we match a young ox with a seasoned veteran, and the young learn from the old”

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Listen again to the words of Jesus, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me”

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The yoke belongs to Jesus.

The invitation is to become “yoked” with him, and to learn from him.

The Irish writer, Oscar Wilde, made a reputation for himself as a fine writer, and was regarded as a celebrity as well.

He was sent to prison for having a sexual relationship with a young man. It was a terrible humiliation for him.

As two policemen from prison were bringing him to the courthouse, a noisy, hostile crowd had gathered.

But then a friend of Wilde’s appeared, who made a simple gesture of friendship and respect that silenced the crowd – this man raised his hat to Wilde as Wilde passed by.

It was a very small gesture yet meant a great deal to Wilde at the time.

Later, Wilde wrote of the gesture, “I store it in the treasure house of my heart.

I keep it there as a secret debt that I can never possibly repay.

It is embalmed and kept sweet by the myrrh of many tears. “

The small gestures are frequently the most powerful; a cup of tea, giving my seat to another on a bus or train.

Small flowers give off a little scent on their own, however, put a bunch of them together, and they can fill a room with their fragrance.

The dawn chorus results from many birds singing their own tune and filling the entire canopy of trees.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Matt. 10: 37 – 42), we read, “And whoever gives even a cup of water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, truly I tell, none of these will lose their reward. “ ( v. 42 ).

Below is the full text of what Oscar Wilde wrote in his letter, written while imprisoned, known as “De Profundis”

“When I was brought down from my prison to the Court of Bankruptcy, between two policemen,—waited in the long dreary corridor that, before the whole crowd, whom an action so sweet and simple hushed into silence, he might gravely raise his hat to me, as, handcuffed and with bowed head, I passed him by.

“Men have gone to heaven for smaller things than that. It was in this spirit, and with this mode of love that the saints knelt down to wash the feet of the poor or stooped to kiss the leper on the cheek.

“I have never said one single word to him about what he did. I do not know to the present moment whether he is aware that I was even conscious of his action.

“It is not a thing for which one can render formal thanks in formal words. I store it in the treasure house of my heart.

“I keep it there as a secret debt that I am glad to think I can never possibly repay. It is embalmed and kept sweet by the myrrh and cassia of many tears.”

Oscar Romero was the Archbishop of San Salvador from 1977 until he was assassinated while celebrating Mass in March 1980.

He was initially regarded as a conservative choice as archbishop; however, he became increasingly outspoken about human rights violations in El Salvador – particularly after the murder of his close friend Fr Rutilio Grande in March 1977.

During his three years as archbishop, Romero repeatedly denounced violence and spoke out on behalf of the victims of the civil war.

In times of heavy press censorship, his weekly radio broadcasts were often the only way people could find out the truth about the atrocities that were happening in their country.

He defended the right of the poor to demand political change, making him a troublesome adversary for those in Government.

He was under constant threat of death. Still, he would not be silenced or go into hiding or exile.

He explained, “At the first sight of danger, the shepherd cannot run and leave the sheep to fend for themselves. I will stay with my people.”

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 10: 26 – 33) says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.”

Oscar Romero, the man, priest, and archbishop are physically dead.

Oscar Romero proclaims the Gospel message as loudly today as he did from the lectern of Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador)