RETREAT IN LENT 2021 Day 3, Friday, 19 February

 

RETREAT IN LENT 2021

Day 3, Friday, 19 February

Break every yoke

 

When the Jesuits first came to Monze, Zambia, Fr Joseph Moreau started to train local oxen to pull the plough. They had never before been ‘under the yoke’ and did not submit easily. Moreau wrote, ‘the oxen were fighting for the freedom of their species!’ In the end they surrendered and ploughing was quickly adopted with great results.

 

A yoke, or harness, is useful for ploughing, drawing carts and so forth but Isaiah (58:1-9) is speaking of the ‘unjust yoke’ where a person, or animal, is burdened beyond endurance. As we begin Lent, we are invited to examine the ‘yokes’ in our lives. Isaiah tells us the Lord is not interested in our prayers and fasting if we are all the time ignoring our yokes! In other words, what are the ways we burden ourselves or other people?

 

Jesus often tells the Pharisees they are more interested in how they appear than in how they are. ‘These people honour me with their lips while their hearts are far from me’ (Matt 15:8). Do we find ourselves saying prayers, reading the bible, going to Church and the rest, but not being awake to what we are doing? We burden ourselves by paying attention to the wrong things. The Pharisee in the temple spends his time congratulating himself for his way of life while the tax collector beats his breast and cries, ‘Lord, have mercy on me a sinner’ (Luke 18:9-14).