Burdens
Universities Chaplain, Revd Tim Nicholls, shares a reflection on the burdens of life as a Christian…
“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.” For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds…
“At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“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.”
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
In this passage, Jesus was teaching his followers about the way they should live if they were to be his disciples. He compared the way many lived out their faith to children who refuse to play no matter what bribe they are offered. The people were very good at deciding how God operates conforming to their plans and prejudices; they would go out of their way to crush faith by imposing religion.
But that wasn’t just a challenge for the generation Jesus was bemoaning 2,000 years ago. Still too often people use their faith to create a religion of rules and rituals to maintain their “respectable club” rather than as a means of allowing God to transform lives.
Often we are fearful of change. We yearn for a faith which makes us comfortable. We lay impossible burdens on others to protect our church and our religion, even if that excludes others.
The yoke that Jesus alludes to would have been borne by two oxen. That yoke would have in turn pulled a plough. The responsibility of establishing the kingdom of God rests with each of us, sharing with Christ in the tasks to which Jesus would have us do. We are to be part of the team, with Christ beside us, sharing the burdens and privileges of the kingdom.
Jesus is not offering a faith burdened by complicated rules and rituals. In the way that a farmer takes care of his animals by lining a yoke so that it does not damage them, Jesus is offering his followers a relationship with God based on love.
The burdens of the Christian faith are to try to be like Christ, and to take on the responsibilities of Jesus. To look at the World and our neighbour through the eyes of constant, unfailing compassion.
Imagine what your life would be like if you removed from yourself all the prejudices, the anger, the hurt that you have bottled up inside. Imagine what life would be like living without the fear of judgment, or where you do not judge others but view them as true brothers and sisters.
Jesus calls us to understand the world from his point of view (ie to take his yoke).
Let us stop making our faith unnecessarily complicated, where we beat ourselves and others up. Let us free ourselves and others for two main tasks: to love God and to love our neighbour as ourself.
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