Thursday July 17, 2025

Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

That last sentence is a terrible translation. What does it even mean? Sorry English speaking people, let me explain. It actually should read “Yes, my yoke fits perfectly and therefore makes the burden light.”

Have you ever put a yoke on an Ox? I have and let me tell you, you can actually kill an Ox if you put the wrong yoke. In the old country where we still make yokes from tree branches, the yoke maker takes the Ox into consideration when he is making one. There is no one size fits all kinda yoke. These things are tailor made to use an American expression.

So maybe Our Lord is saying St Peter’s needs and struggles are different from St You and Our God is big enough to take your individual story into account. Yes there are general rules but we also have to walk alongside people from where they are. Religion has hurt people albeit even killed some. But religion when carefully placed can and has done a ton of good.

I can’t wait to preach on this in depth someday.

Fr. Chibundi