Bearing the Yoke of Jesus
As many of you know, I write occasionally for Give Us This Day, a wonderful and inspiring monthly booklet published by Liturgical Press. Each issue contains the daily Mass readings complete with reflections by authors both ancient and contemporary. Each reflection is limited to 250 words. Today I’m sharing my reflection for Dec. 13, 2023 on Mt. 11: 28-30:
Jesus said, “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 is light.”
Jesus knew a lot about yokes. Joseph probably made yokes as part of his carpentry work. If so, he would have taught Jesus the art of making good yokes. Select sturdy wood, but not too heavy as to weigh the animal down. Then fit the yoke to each animal. This means measuring the animal’s shoulders, neck, and height from head to hoof. A good yoke eases the animal’s burden. Double yokes enable two animals to work side by side as a team.
Jesus knew about yokes in scripture too. He knew the yoke was a frequent symbol of bondage. His listeners would have known that too. But when Jesus speaks of the yoke in today’s gospel, he gives this old metaphor a new twist: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me… for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” My yoke, he says. Take it willingly. My yoke is not a yoke of bondage. It is a yoke of bonding. I will teach you how to bear it. In fact, I will bear the yoke with you.”
Recently, a catechist in Chile told this story. She was teaching a small group of Christians in a rural area. At one point she asked them, “What is your favorite image of God?” One farmer said, “For me, God is the other oxen. We talk to each other every day as we plow the field. The yoke is light when I carry it with my God.”
What burdens are you carrying right now? Are you carrying them with Jesus by your side?
For reflection:
Did anything stand out for you in this reflection. If so, what and why?
Do you talk to God every day–and even throughout your day?
What is your favorite image of God? Why?
If you knew nothing else about Jesus except these words above, what are some of the things you might conclude about the kind of person he was?
PS: International Women’s Month is celebrated in March in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. In Canada it’s celebrated in October. The photo and quote below are posted here in honor of this month’s celebration.
Our video is “Come unto Jesus” by Laura Story, Jordan Kauflin, and Keith and Kristyn Getty. I loved the lyrics of this song, fashioned from Jesus’ own words. And I also loved the stunning video in the background… Toward the end of the song, notice especially the tiny people walking up the giant hill…
Once again I invite you to add a comment below–about the reflection itself, the photos, or the song… or you can respond to someone else’s comment…
Four Kind Strangers I Met along the Way
Last month I flew to Florida for a few days of R&R with two good SND friends living in Safety Harbor. I admit, I had been feeling a little depressed by our news headlines lately–not to mention our extremely cold and dreary weather. So before I left, I asked God, “Please send me some ordinary and kind strangers on my trip to Florida to remind me that there are still lots and lots of good people in our world.” God answered my prayer. Here are three encounters with four strangers I met along the way.
“Josh” the Phone Guy at Cleveland Hopkins Airport
An SND friend, Kathy, drove me to the airport. She is definitely very kind, but I had specifically asked God for some strangers. So I couldn’t count her. As soon she dropped me off, I went inside and proceeded to the kiosk to check my bag. That’s when I realized I had left my purse in Kathy’s car! I was horrified, because my phone and wallet were in my purse! I panicked. How could I contact Kathy who was now driving away from me on the freeway at 60 miles an hour! I didn’t know her cellphone number by heart. It was on my phone! Fortunately, the Southwest check-in desk was pretty quiet at that moment. I went over and explained my plight to the woman behind the counter. She turned and yelled down to a young man at the end of the counter: “Josh, let this lady use your phone.”
I went down to “Josh” who handed me the phone (a landline) from behind the counter. I called one of the few phone numbers I know by heart: the switchboard at our SND Center in Chardon. Sure enough, Kathleen our wonderful (and kind!) switchboard operator answered. I quickly explained my desperate situation and asked her to call Sr. Kathy’s cellphone. Right away she found the number in our directory, called her, and relayed my message. Kathy said she had just gotten onto 271. She’d take the first exit, come back to the airport, and meet me where she had dropped me off. I was greatly relieved! Meanwhile, since my ID and boarding passes were in my carry-on bag, I asked Josh if he could please check my bag. When he saw my last name, he asked, “Are you related to Robin Swoboda?” She was a popular Cleveland TV newscaster a few years back. I said, “No, but people often ask me that.” We continued talking for several minutes. His kindness helped me to relax, and I thanked him again for coming to my rescue. As I walked away, I knew I had encountered a kind and helpful stranger! Under my breath, I said, “Thank you, God, for Josh!”
The Chicken Tender Couple at Midway Airport
God answered my prayer again at Midway Airport in Chicago where I had a two-hour layover. It was lunch time, so I went to get some chicken tenders and fries. I had to use a kiosk to order. I don’t like using kiosks to order. I much prefer to order with a real human being, but the only one I saw behind the counter was a woman busy handing the customers their lunches. When she called “Melannie!” I went to get my lunch. I noticed the bag seemed big, but I had also ordered a bottle of Pepsi, so I thought nothing about it–until I sat down to eat at one of the semi-deserted gates. That’s when I saw I had two lunch boxes in the bag! Had I mistakenly ordered two? Or was it the computer’s fault? Whatever, I knew I couldn’t eat two, and I certainly didn’t want to throw out a good, hot meal. So I looked around at the few people sitting at the gate. Some were already eating. Others were on their phones. A few were dozing.
Then, a few rows away from me, I spotted a young man typing on his lap top. He was tall. Tall men need lots of food, I reasoned. So I grabbed one of the lunches, walked over to him, and asked, “Would you like this free lunch? I got two by mistake. It’s chicken tenders and fries.” His face lit up like a little boy’s. “Sure!” he said. As I handed him the lunch, I was struck by the fact that he was trusting me, a complete stranger! After all, I could have been trying to poison him! But he thanked me enthusiastically. Then I walked back to my row to eat my lunch. It was very good! I glanced up at him. He was enjoying his lunch too. Then a young woman appeared–his wife I later learned. She was surprised to see him eating. He motioned toward me and offered her some of the lunch. She gladly reached in for some fries. About 25 minutes later, I saw them packing up to go. But before they left, they came over to me. Smiling, the woman said, “That was so sweet of you to give my husband your extra lunch.” “I’m happy you enjoyed it,” I said. They thanked me again and wished me a pleasant trip. I knew that my trip had just been made more pleasant because of my encounter with them, two ordinary and kind strangers!
The Young Woman in the Middle Seat next to Me
I had an aisle seat on my flight to Tampa. When a young woman took the middle seat next to me, we exchanged pleasantries, but we didn’t talk to each other during the whole flight. When we landed, she pulled out her cellphone. I heard her say, “We just landed…(pause)… okay, I’ll meet you there… I love you!… (pause)… okay… I love you!… (pause)… yes! do that… ” Then I saw a little boy appear on her screen. (I wasn’t snooping–honest! She was crammed right next to me!) She began talking to the boy, “‘Lenny,’ it’s me, Mommy! I’ll be home in a few minutes, Honey! Mommy missed you SO much!… I love you! I love you!” When the call ended, I asked, “Is that your little boy?” “Yes,” she said. “We named him Lenny after my grandfather, Leonard.” Obviously, she loved her grandfather very much. “How old is Lenny?” I asked. “Thirteen months,” she said. Then added, “I’ve been in Chicago all week, attending business meetings. They were good–but while I was gone, Lenny said his first word: Mama! And I wasn’t there when he said it!” She sounded so sad. I said, “Well, I bet when he sees you again, he’ll soon by saying ‘Mama’ for you over and over again!” She said, “I hope so!”
I had asked God to put some ordinary, kind strangers into my life on my way to Tampa. God did. What did these four strangers have in common? First, they were all younger than I am. I could have been their grandmother or maybe even great-grandmother. All seemed to be hard-working and responsible adults. They were all pleasant and seemed basically happy. They all readily engaged in conversation with me, a stranger. Three of them gave evidence of being involved in strong and loving relationships. It was “chance” that brought us together: My leaving my purse in a car… my getting two lunches by mistake… my happening to sit next to one of them on a packed plane. That night I prayed for each one of them. Then I thanked God for answering my prayer and showing me that there are lots and lots of ordinary and kind and good people in our world. We just have to be on the lookout for them.
For reflection:
Did anything stand out for you in these three little stories?
Have you ever encountered a stranger who was kind and helpful for you? Would you like to share your story below?
Have you ever been a kind and helpful stranger for someone else? Again, would you like to share your story?
When you are feeling depressed or sad, what helps you to connect with the basic goodness in so many ordinary people?
Our video today is a contemporary hymn called “We Are Called to Welcome Strangers” produced by Jubilate. This song challenges me to my core–especially as I listen to it against the background of our refugee crisis in our own country and around the world. I ask myself, “How am I living this scriptural mandate, a mandate cleary expressed in Lev. 19:33-34, Mt. 25, and Heb. 13:2?”
I welcome your comments below!
Lenten Reflection: “Mind Your Own Soul”
I’m reading a new book called Little Detours and Spiritual Adventures: Inspiration for Times When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned. The author is Regina Brett, a local Cleveland area gal (Yeah, Northeast Ohio!), a wife, mother, grandmother, Catholic, and a journalist whose book God Never Blinks made it to the New York Times bestseller list!
Brett knows all about detours in life. She was an unwed mother at 21, a recovering alcoholic since 25, a cancer survivor at 41, and a caregiver for her mother with Alzheimer’s. In her introduction, Brett writes, “This book shares my experiences and stories of other people who faced even bigger detours yet still created a life they love.” Today I’ll share a few thoughts from chapter 12, “Mind Your Own Soul.” I think her words might make a good Lenten practice for some of us.
One day Brett’s older sister sent her an email that updated what was going on in her life. At the end, she wrote, “I am living the life my soul wants to have.” Brett was “wowed” by her words. “They woke up my soul,” she said. As she reflected on them, she asked herself, what kind of life would that look like? What life does my soul want? What is the soul?
For Brett, the soul is the Highest Self… The God within… The Holy Spirit… the Spirit of Truth that abides within all of us. The soul is not your “resume life,” but (in the words of Arianna Huffington) it’s your “eulogy life.” The recent death of Jimmy Carter clearly displays the difference between the two. Yes, he had an extensive resume. But most of the people who spoke at his funeral focused on the qualities that really made him who he was: his humility, his compassion, his ability to befriend a wide range of people, his beautiful marriage and family, his patience, his work for the poor, his simplicity, his humor. Many of us would say that Carter listened to his Highest Self, to the God within. As a result, he lived the life his soul wanted.
So, how do we listen to the wisdom of our own soul? Brett says even before she gets out of bed in the morning, she asks, “Soul, is there anything I need to know today?” We could add, “Is there anything I need to remember today? Or anything I need to do?” We can ask whatever question speaks to us on a given day.
I sometimes do something similar to this–only I usually wait until I’m sitting in my “prayer chair” in my pj’s, cradling a cup of coffee in my hands. Here are a few of the responses Brett has received from her soul. I’ve mingled a few of my own responses with hers. The question is: “Soul, is there anything I need to know today?”
God is here…
be in the moment… just do the next right thing… be patient… pause…
be present to everyone you meet… be gentle with yourself… chose to do the kind thing…
“resign as general manager of the universe” (Larry Eisenberg)…
step outside for a few minutes… if that’s not possible, then find a window and gaze outside for a few minutes…
love your life… pray, “Be still and know that I am God”… smile… pour your love all over the place…
take a deep breath… say “thank you” throughout your day… learn something new today…
help someone in need even if it only means holding the door for them or giving them a break in traffic…
really listen… stay calm… say, “In God I trust” and mean it… count your blessings…
float… enjoy… pray “The Serenity Prayer”… save some of this day for you…
laugh today… turn your wounds into healing for others…
God is here… God is here…God is here.
Brett’s book is filled with wisdom and inspiration. Some of the titles of other chapters are these: “Bravery Takes Practice,” “If You Only Got What You Wanted, You Would Sell Yourself Short,” “God Is Rarely Early, But God Is Never Late,” “Just When You Think You’ve Lost All Hope, Hope Finds You,” “Getting Lost Can Be the Best Part of the Journey.” Let me conclude with what Hoda Kotb (recently retired host of the Today Show) says about the book: “The first day I picked up Regina Brett’s book, my life got a little brighter. Her words are sooooo good… Her books are my go-to gifts for friends and family.”
For reflection:
Did anything stand out for you in this reflection? If so, what? Do you know why?
Name some things that could be on your resume? Name some things that you hope might be in your eulogy?
Does your soul (your highest self, the God within) ever speak to you? If so, what does your soul say to you?
Is your soul saying anything special to you this Lent? Would you be able to share this with us below?
PS: Let us continue to pray for our beloved Pope Francis…
Announcing our Three Raffle Winners!
Here are the three lucky winners of our raffle for a free signed copy of my new book, Sunflower Seeds of Hope. (Drum roll please):
Kitty Pasquale from Belmont, NY. She tells me she has four children “one of whom is with God, and waiting for me.” In addition she has eight granddaughters and eight great-grandkids–“finally some boys.” She loves cats too! Kitty has been reading “Sunflower Seeds” for several years.
Norma. J. lives in Titusville, PA and is a second grade teacher and the mother of “two wonderful daughters.” She has been reading my blog for over five years.
Kathy Donnermeyer is my third winner from Ft. Thomas, KY. Kathy just retired as a legal editor after 45 years! Congratulations to her. She met me about 10 years ago when her friend encouaged her (or maybe dragged her [my words, not hers]) to make my retreat at Mt. St. Joseph on the other side of the beautiful Ohio River. Kathy has been married almost 45 years and has four children and five grandchildren. An avid quilter, she has been reading my blog ever since that retreat.
Altogether there were 396 entries in the contest. Each person, no matter how many comments they wrote between Feb. 10 – 28 got one chance to win. On Feb. 10th, the first day of the raffle, 232 readers wrote comments to enter the contest. That’s the most comments I have ever had on my blog in a single day! I want to thank all of you who entered the contest–and all who read my blog. I’ll have to run another contest again some day soon!
There are so many good Lenten songs out there. For today I chose “Gracious God” by Jesse Manibusan. In this prayer to God, we remember that mercy is God’s name. We also recall Jesus’s life and death in which he gave his life away. As followers of Jesus, we give our lives away too. Lent is a good time to renew ourselves in our sacrificial loving…
I welcome your comments below. My readers and I always enjoy hearing from you!
Quotations Under the Letter “C”
If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I like to collect quotations. I’ve been doing this since I was in high school. In fact, every time I read a book, I put a few 3 X 5 file cards in it–in case I run into a good quote. If I do, I’ll copy it down on one of my cards. As a result, I have literally thousands of quotes stored alphabetically in nine file card boxes. Below are 20 quotations I picked out for you that I found under the letter “C.” I hope some of these speak to your heart today.
1. I’ve got many quotations under catechesis, the way we hand on our religion or faith to others. I often cross reference these with evangelization. Here’s my favorite definition: Catechesis or evangelization “is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread.” (D. T. Niles)
2. “Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has. (Margaret Mead)
3. “Character is what you are in the dark.” (Dwight Moody)
4. “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character give him power.” (Abraham Lincoln)
- Correction: I just learned that the above quote is misattributed to Lincoln. It was possibly said by the American politician Robert Ingersoll ABOUT Lincoln. Ingersoll was the 16th Attorney General of Illinois. Interestingly, his nickname was “The Great Agnostic.”
5. “A grownup is a child with layers on.” (Woody Harrelson)
6. Children ask good questions. “A woman was telling her granddaughter the Christmas story. The little girl asked, ‘Why did Mary and Joseph have to go to a stable?” The grandmother said, “Because there was no room in the inn, and they needed shelter.” The little girl asked, “Why didn’t they go to Grandma’s?”
7. “Would you be any different if Christ did not exist?” (Anthony de Mello)
8. “Christianity can never be a merely pleasant or consoling religion. It is a stern business. It is concerned with salvation through sacrifice and love of a world in which, as we can all see now, evil and cruelty are rampant. Its supreme symbol is the crucifix—the total and loving self-giving of a man to the redeeming purposes of God.” (Evelyn Underhill. She, a British writer, wrote these words while enduring the Blitzkrieg in England during World War II)
9. “Coincidences are spiritual puns.” (G.K. Chesterson)
10. “Compassion is the chief law of human existence.” (Fyodor Dostoevsky)
11. “Compassion is the willing disposition to enter into the chaos of another.” (James F. Keenan. He cites Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan as an example.)
12. “The compassionate life is the life of downward mobility.” (Henry Nouwen)
13. Community: “Mitakuye Oyasin is the Lakota belief that says, ‘We are all related.'”
14. Community (solidarity): “Love needs someone else. Joy is something shared. Peace is mediated. Patience is interactive. Generosity is towards. These communal activities have no reality except with another.” (Cedric Mayson)
15. “Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal.” (John F. Kennedy’s commencement address at American University on June 10, 1963. Some historians say it was the most important speech on war and peace of his presidency.)
16. “Compromise is the glue of relationships.” (Dr. John Gottman)
17. “Confidence never comes from having all the answers; it comes from being open to all the questions.” (Earl Gary Stevens)
18. “Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” (Peter Sheridan)
19. “The opposite of courage isn’t only fear but security.” (Sue Monk Kidd)
20. Writer/artist Julia Cameron has written extensively about creativity. She posted this sign in her writing area: “Dear God, I will take care of the quantity. You take care of the quality.”
For reflection:
Did any quotation stand out for your today? If so, which one(s)? Do you know why?
Do you have a favorite quote that would fit under any of the C words above? Would you like to share it below? (By doing this, you might add another card in my file!)
Do you have a favorite quote that focuses on any other C word? Again, would you like to share it with us below?
PS: Raffle Reminder: I am raffling off THREE signed copies of my new book, Sunflower Seeds of Hope. All you have to do to enter is to write a comment below. If you have written a comment anytime since Feb. 10, your name has already been entered in the raffle. Everyone gets ONE chance no matter how many comments you’ve written. The contest ends this Friday, Feb. 28 at midnight. Winners will be announced next Monday, March 3.
I looked for a song that focuses on one the C words above. I found “The Compassion Hymn” by Keith and Kristyn Getty. The song is really a prayer to our compassionate God. Dostoevsky says compassion is “the chief law of human existence.” Compassion also plays a pivotal role in both the life and teachings of Jesus. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to love others with the compassion of Jesus.
I welcome your comments below…
Celebrating Black History Month and Story Corps
Today we’re going to celebrate Black History Month by using a special love of mine: an organization called Story Corps. Let’s begin with a few words about Black History month.
The celebration of Black History month can be traced back to a historian named Carter G. Woodson. The son of former slaves, Woodson was born in Virginia in 1875. Raised in poverty, he worked in the coal mines as a child. Amazingly, he eventually went on to become the second Black man to earn a PhD from Harvard. In 1926 Woodson established the first “Negro History Week” to focus on the accomplishments of Black people.
The first official Black History month was recognized in 1976 when President Gerald Ford extended the week to a whole month saying, the month will “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every endeavor throughout our history.” February was chosen because it incudes the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, two prominant figures in the abolistionist movement. Black History Month is celebrated in other countries too, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Germany, France, and seven countries in Africa.
Now, what is Story Corps? It is an American non-profit organization founded in April 2003 that attempts to record, preserve, and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds, ages, and beliefs. The mission statement gives the reason behind this massive project: “to help us believe in each other by the humanity and possibility in all of us… one story at a time.” Some of the stories are accompanied by delightful and poignant illustrations.
So far Story Corps has interviewed 645,000 people from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. plus several American territories. They have recording booths in many public places (including New York City’s Grand Central Station), plus they have converted Airstream trailers into recording booths that travel the country. You can even record a story for them on your cellphone! Over the years, Story Corps has built “the largest collection of human voices ever archived.” If you watch or listen to PBS, you have probably seen or heard some of these memorable stories.
I’m offering four stories below. Each is about 2-3 minutes long. These four seemed especially appropriate for Black History month.
Story #1: The Family Equation:
Story # 2: Walnut Street
Story #3: Always a Family
Story #4: Levar and Kevin – This story is part of the project called “One Small Step” where total strangers on opposite sides of the political spectrum volunteered to come together and have conversations about non-political topics. Sometimes these individuals met several times. Here is a fragment from one conversation between Levar and Kevin. (Levar’s words are in blue; Kevin’s are in orange.)
For reflection:
Did anything about the history of Black History month stand out for you? What do you think of Story Corps?
Did any of the four stories speak to you? If so, which one(s) and why?
What are some of your feelings about Black History month? Do you personally celebrate it in any way? Why or why not?
What are some of the ways we can come to see the humanity in each one of us?
This is a kids’ song by Miss Jessica entitle “Black People Who Change the World.” I’m no kid, but I really liked this upbeat song with its creative dance moves!
Reminder: I invite you to share some of your thoughts below. Anyone who writes a comment on my blog between Feb. 10-28 will be entered in a raffle to win a signed copy of my new book Sunflower Seeds of Hope. Your name will be entered ONE TIME only even if you write more than one comment. Thank you!
