Matthew 11:25-30 - Come to Me, All Who Labor (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 6, 2014)

Gospel:

At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

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.”

Gospel Trivia:

We pray the "Our Father" so often that we do not realize the radical notion that Jesus introduced when He addressed God as "Father."  For Jesus, our relationship with God is a father-child relationship!

Heretofore, the Jews have known God to be "Lord," "King," "Judge," "the God of Abraham," the "Rock of Israel," "the Holy One."  But now, Jesus addresses God as "Father."  You can imagine how different is the relationship between king and subject compared to that of father and child.

No individual in the Old Testament and in the entire Jewish literature has addressed God as a father!

Not only that! The word used for "father" is a very familiar one.  The study of the original text of the gospel reveals that:

- when used in the verse "I give praise to you, Father," the Aramaic* word used is the formal way of addressing a father. (*Jesus language is Aramaic).

- but when used in the verse, "yes, Father, such has been your gracious will," the Aramaic word used is "abba."  "Abba" is translated to the less formal and familiar address of a father, roughly equivalent to "dad", "papa," or "tatay."

This explains the verse "my yoke is easy, and my burden light."  The Jews have been heavily burdened by the strict adherence to the laws of Moses.  In order to be holy, it is believed that one must study, understand and follow the law to the letter.  Most of the Jews were of course left out, because less than 5% of them could read.

Instead, Jesus offers the yoke of love and forgiveness.  The yoke is equally demanding, but this time it is not based on the academic understanding and literal interpretation of the law, but based on ones personal relationship with God and neighbor.

Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 194-196.