Christ's Yoke
Jesus willingly
took up His Cross when the time came, and He assures us of His comforting aid
and real presence by our side when each of us take up the cross, as we must.
Last
Sunday's readings for the feast of Sts. Peter & Paul pre-empted the
lectionary plan for the thirteenth Sunday of the year, scripture readings which
insisted that following Christ was not easy, as He Himself repeated,
"Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of
Me" (Mt 10:38). So, as we know, discipleship entails taking up one's
cross, and dying with Christ in order to be raised to newness of life. But
there's more to Christian discipleship than that, for here we have, just one
week later (and just one chapter later in the same Gospel of Matthew), some of
the tenderest and most consoling words of Jesus, "Come to Me, all you who
labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and
learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for
yourselves. For My yoke is easy, and My burden light" (Mt 11:28-30).
...
No,
Jesus does not make or distribute crosses either for Himself, or for others to
carry. To be sure, He willingly took up His Cross when the time came, and He
assures us of His comforting aid and real presence by our side when each of us
take up the cross, as we must. But again, that inevitable cross is not the same
as His easy yoke and light burden.