Sunday Inbox Inspirations
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle A
July 9, 2023
The Amish and Jesus
On a number of occasions, I have driven through Lancaster County in Pennsylvania.
As you know, this is the heart of the Amish country. One of the things that you can’t miss is the beautiful landscape and rich farmland.
And one of the images I have in my mind is of Amish farmers working their fields with horses. Some of them do not use modern John Deere farm equipment.
Instead, there are two horses pulling a plough. I am thinking of this image today because in Jesus’ time, it was very similar.
They used a pair of oxen to plough the fields. And there was something called a yoke – spelled Y-O-K-E.
The yoke was a wooden collar that fit around the neck of the oxen and connected the two animals to each other and to the plough. A yoke had to be carefully made so that it would fit the oxen just right.
If the yoke fit well and was comfortable, the oxen could go on ploughing for hours. But if it did not fit well, it would dig into the oxen and really hurt.
It would sap their strength, and they would not be able to plough for a long time. This is the image that Jesus has in mind in today’s gospel.
“My yoke is easy”
He says, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The yoke that Jesus is speaking of is his way – his way of living. Now I think a fair question is: can we really say that Jesus’ way or “yoke” is “easy”?
I mean, practically speaking, is it easy to love our enemies? Is it easy to share what we have with people who are in need and whom we do not even know?
And on top of all that, doesn’t Jesus say that following him means taking up our cross? So, isn’t it a bit of a stretch to say that Jesus’ yoke is easy?
Why Is It Easy?
Maybe comparing Jesus’ way with other ways of living is the best way to evaluate how difficult or easy his yoke is.
For example:
Do we really think that a dog-eat-dog approach – maybe in the workplace – an approach where it’s every person looking out just for themselves – do we really think that this is easier on our nerves, or would a more respectful and team-like approach be easier?
Again, are we better off emotionally by holding on to our resentment, or are we better off by forgiving someone even if that doesn’t mean returning to the closeness we once had?
Again, does it make me feel better about myself when I judge others as useless or lazy or bad, or do I feel better about myself when I try to put myself in their skin and try to see things from their perspective?
Similarly, does prejudice – racial, religious, or gender prejudice – does this expand me as a person, or am I bigger as a person when I try to be open and inclusive?
Again, do we feel inner peace by just going along with whatever our peers are doing, like bullying a classmate or doing some kind of drug, or do we feel more at peace by sticking to what we believe is the right thing to do?
And finally, is it easier to live with myself when I don’t tell the truth, or do I live more easily with myself when I own up to what I did or did not do?
Conclusion
These are just some comparisons of the effects of following Jesus versus following other ways of living.
I recommend that we think about these alternatives. If we try Jesus’ “yoke,” we just might find that it contributes more to our happiness in the long run, and it may even be lighter and easier in the short run of life.
Fr. Michael Schleupner
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