Two Yokes

October 14: Tuesday of Week 28 of Ordinary Time, Year A-II:

Galatians 5:1-6; Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48; Luke 11:37-41

What is Jesus saying to us as stewards of his kingship? 

(To support Reaching Jesus:5 Steps to a Fuller Life... Step Five).

Two Yokes

“Do not submit… to the yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

The Pharisee was amazed that Jesus broke the law. Paul preached later: “Do not submit” to the “slavery” of keeping religious rules.

Yet the Psalm says: “Take not the word of truth from my mouth… and I will keep your law… walk in liberty… delight in your commands.”

The key word here is “truth.” Paul says: “You who are trying to be justified by law—who think religion consists in keeping rules—are separated from Christ, have fallen from grace.”

The “truth” is that we should keep the rules insofar as they help us live by the divine truth and love of the divine life we received in Baptism. Jesus applied this even to the Sabbath observance: “The Sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath… If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy…’ you would not have condemned the guiltless” (Mark 2:27; Matthew 12:7; see 9:11).

Pope Francis says Jesus and the apostles made “very few laws,” and Church laws today should be applied “with moderation,” rather than make our religion a burden or new slavery, because “God’s mercy wills that we should be free” (Joy of the Gospel 37, 43).

Christ’s “yoke is easy, and his burden light” (Matthew 11:30).

As “stewards of God’s manifold grace,” we are duty-bound to insist on freedom from inappropriate laws.

PRAY: “Lord, teach me mercy.”

PRACTICE: Look for truth and mercy in every rule.