(Given at the 4 pm Saturday Mass and the 7 am Sunday Mass at Ave Maria)
Years ago, I remember getting so excited to go see my friend Zach in the seventh grade. I was freshening up before heading over to his house, and it just hit me. I remember feeling at rest, utterly content at the prospect of hanging out with him and pulling an all nighter to play through the entire campaign of Halo 2. Now, of course, this was a natural contentment because I was going to see a good friend. And that’s good. The rest that Jesus offers from our gospel passage today is so much more. Jesus invites us to come to him. To take his yoke upon us. Yokes were harnesses put on beats of burden to help them with their tasks. To keep them from veering off course. We are called to put on the yoke of Christ in order that we might not only be at rest with him, but be able to live holy lives by his grace. And, my brothers and sisters, guess what? We have put on the yoke of Christ! When we were baptized! St. Paul is clear that those who have died with Christ in baptism have risen with him to new life. Romans 6. Jesus even says that unless one is born of water and the Spirit, they cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3. This connects of course with our second reading from St. Paul about the Spirit dwelling within us. St. Peter says as much in Acts 2: “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the Holy Spirit.” We have received the Holy Spirit, being born again in baptism, we have put on the yoke of Christ, we are now enabled to do truly good works, to live holy lives. Ephesians 2 says we were created in Christ for good works that we should walk in them. And when we walk in doing good, we rest with Jesus. Why? Because we are living the lives that we were made for. That he made us for. It’s not always easy, given that we’re still stuck in this fallen world. But it’s worth it. If we fall short and remove the yoke of Christ from our backs through sin, we go to Confession and get right back up, walking in faith, living by the Spirit. As a kid, feeling contentment and rest in seeing my friend was good. The rest that only Christ can give is so much better.