The Incredibly Easy Yoke Of Christ

Fourteenth Sunday in Course 2023

What does the prophet Zechariah tell us today about the kingdom God proposes to establish around Jesus, the king of His kingdom? He comes to His people as a victorious leader, but He does not come on a warhorse, but on a donkey. So He comes into a kingdom of peace, not one waging violent war. God intends to banish all weapons of war, and to unite all peoples under the one Sovereign, Our Lord. The reading goes on in the next verse, which we did not hear today, to say “As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free.” So those who are enslaved are liberated.

We’ve heard a lot about that in recent days and years. Yes, slave trafficking is still going on today, with the young especially targeted by the cartels and others. Those involved are committing a grave sin against human dignity, and against God’s plan for humanity. But they are also enslaved–enslaved to evil. All habitual sin is slavery: just ask anyone who is addicted to cocaine or heroin, sex or gambling or risky behavior. But because of the blood of the covenant, which we know is the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, anyone can be set free of that sin-slavery. We can all be free citizens of that kingdom Jesus rules, here on earth and even more so after death. The Lord is faithful to His promises.

St. Paul’s words today require some explanation: “you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.” The “flesh” that Paul writes about is not our body, our physical skin and muscles and blood. No. The flesh is our tendency to fall into hurtful, selfish thoughts and deeds. It can be thought of as part of the slavery to sin. If we give into those temptations of pride or lust or greed or jealousy or any other enslaving principle, we have given up our spiritual life, the grace of Christ. If we in Paul’s words then “live according to the flesh” we will surely die, and if we pass from this life in that condition, we will be slaves in hell forever. None of us should desire that. So we need to correspond to God’s grace, accept His life, turn our backs on sin and seek always to do the will of the Father.

When we do that every day–begin our day with praise and prayer and commitment to do God’s will–then we are really coming to Christ, giving Him our heavy burdens, and resting in His love. His “yoke,” His light burden is our commitment to do God’s will. It requires us to give up the yearning for pleasure, for power, for honor that enmesh us ultimately in sinful habits. It requires us to give God right praise and follow His law of love to right living. Once we have developed those splendid habits of life, we truly will feel His presence, His power, His revelation to us of His Father.