Jeremy Paxman, fearsome ‘Newsnight ’interviewer and then sadistic quizmaster of ‘University Challenge’, was once asked which subjects he dreaded coming up on ‘Newsnight’, and replied:  “Northern Ireland, and the Holy Land”.    When asked if he could see any solution for them, he said:  “Maybe a child should walk through the middle of them, holding a bunch of flowers”.

What a charming suggestion!   It reminds one of the prophet Isaiah’s vision of the ideal age of peace:  “The wolf will live with the lamb, and a little child will lead them”.    But also of today’s Gospel.    Jesus brings a new solution, a breath of fresh air.   He walks through problems like a child with a bunch of flowers.  He exclaims out loud with joy.

Just prior to these words of his, he has been criticising those who simply cannot see good anywhere:  John the Baptist comes living like a hermit and they say he is possessed;  Jesus comes eating and drinking normally and they say he is a glutton.   Life with such people grinds to a complete halt.

Jesus opens life up by inviting his hearers to come to him, and to have joy.  Joy is what he calls his “yoke”.  Now “yoke” may not seem a very comfortable word.    The rabbis called the Law of Moses a “yoke”– but by this they did not mean something unpleasant.   It was a delightful way of binding oneself to God.      As one rabbi said:  “My burden is my song”.  

This is really the only time in the Gospels when Jesus talks about himself, rather than speaking objectively about his mission.    He is “gentle and lowly in heart”.

“Gentle” and “lowly” are words which have often had negative connotations – meek and mild, unable to say boo to a goose, frankly rather “wet”.    Such a scheme has sometimes, alas, been promoted as a good form of Christianity.    Jesus does not mean any of that.    “Gentle” and “lowly in heart” are healthy words, concerned with relationship, and with service.

In the ancient world a “gentle” slave was one who knew what his master needed, who anticipated, who did not complain, who took initiatives.

To the Greeks, lowliness was not a great virtue;  it was linked with uselessness.   If one described a small river as being a “lowly little stream”, it meant it was unnavigable, not fit for any purpose.  But Jesus’ meaning is different.   He means by “lowly”:  “aware of one’s limits, determined to enter into a relationship with God”.    We now see why we have these words of Jesus about the relationship of Father to Son and Son to Father, which at first sight seem just a red herring.    

Let us not pretend that we do not have burdens.   Let us not confuse happiness with joy.   They are not the same.   As Christians we are free, but, like Jesus, we are free to serve.   Many from the outside see Christians as just being brainwashed, led by the nose.   That would be very sad.   We are the children of joy.   Joy is the cousin of freedom.   As has been said:   “One who really has Christ chooses freely what others do under compulsion”.  

So are we joyful?    Can people sense in us a freedom of spirit, coupled, as we get older, with a growing sense of gratitude?    Not “happy”, remember.   At least, not h-a-p-p-y like on a trip to the seaside with bucket and spade.  Joyful.

Where joy is living, Christ is living, coming to us with his easy burden.  Where joy dies, Christianity dies, no matter how many proclamations there may be to the contrary.

Let us never forget the child with the bunch of flowers!

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2^nd Reading Romans 8: 9, 11-13

To live by the Law of the Spirit is to live by the Spirit of Christ from which spontaneously well up love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, trustfulness, gentleness and all those other fruits of the Spirit. The Law of Christ does not restrict or restrain from without but impels from within.

Gospel Matthew 11:25-30

Here we have the gentle invitation of Jesus to all who are overburdened. This Yoke (the Law of Christ) which is mentioned is once again an impulse of the Spirit. It cannot be burdensome since it is a joy to carry. A way of living with Christ. Think of the joy of the martyrs! How can we live out the fruits of the Spirit daily? Some suggestions:

·      Prayerfully reflect on the words of the Hymn Come to the Waters by John Foley

•     Pray in continual dependence on the Spirit

•     Intentionally choose loving action toward people around you

•     Give service with the gifts that God provides, letting good works confirm your inward growth

‍Some questions to ask yourselves

Am I choosing joy in life on a regular basis, or is my happiness dependent on things going smoothly in my day?

Am I easily set off when things go wrong or people irritate me, or am I able to stay calm and keep a godly perspective in the face of life’s irritations?

Am I actively depending on the Holy Spirit to guide me in living out the fruit of the Spirit? If not, am I willing to confess to God that His ways are better than mine, and that I need the Spirit’s guidance to choose His ways instead of my own?

Some prayers of the faithful

Heavenly Father we are weary and burdened. Be with us in our times of rest and recreation. Let Your peace wash over us and renew us in your spirit.

May the Lord Bless all who are seeking a restful summer, holiday away from the stresses of everyday life. May they find peace in their hearts and minds to return to work rested and filled with a greater zeal for the Lord and his mission.

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Key

CFE - Celebration Hymnal for Everyone

L – Laudate

LHON – Liturgical Hymns Old and New (Mayhew, 1999)

TCH – The Catholic Hymnbook (Gracewing)