Blog Layout

Fr. Joseph Nguyen • July 8, 2023

His Kind of Heart

Joke: In a conversation between the doctor and the patient’s wife, the doctor said, your husband needs rest and peace. Here are some sleeping pills. Wife: When must I give them to him? Doctor: They are for you ...

What does it mean to have rest and peace for oneself? Recognizing the restless and un-peaceful nations, the Lord in today’s first reading promised to the Israelites that there will be a King who will come to bring peace to the nations that Zechariah reported to us. Who is that King if it’s not Jesus Christ, who is meek and humble of heart that Matthew reported in today’s Gospel the words of Jesus exclaimed to the people of Israel saying, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” So, to answer the question, what does it mean to have rest and peace for oneself? We are invited to take the yoke of Jesus Christ and learn from him since he is meek and humble of heart. The question, then, what does it mean when he invited us to take his yoke? And what does it mean to be meek and humble of heart?

I looked up the word “yoke” in Meriam Webber Dictionary, and it said, “a bar or frame that is attached to the heads or necks of two work animals (such as oxen) so that they can pull a plow or heavy load; or something that causes people to be treated cruelly and unfairly, especially by taking away their freedom.” A yoke of Jesus is compared to a bar placed on his shoulder to carry a heavy load; or rather, his freedom is taken away to be treated cruelly and unfairly. Jesus’ freedom was taken away the moment that he accepted to vest on himself our very human flesh. He became totally like all of us except for sins. His surrendering of freedom was so great that he was sweaty with blood and called out to his Father, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Honest ourselves, who wants to carry a heavy load on our shoulder? Or who wants to be treated cruelly and unfairly when we are living in a land which respects the word freedom? Freedom of the flesh or freedom of Spirit, we might want to ask? Freedom that Jesus teaches us is not the freedom of the flesh, but rather, the freedom of Spirit to follow his Father’s will, not his own will. Too much freedom of the flesh would give the mother to have the right to abort the child in her womb; too much freedom of the flesh would give the okay in the same sex union; too much freedom of the flesh would give the okay to live together without marriage; too much freedom of the flesh would give no respect to the parents as soon as the children reached the age of eighteen; and many other negativities occur in our society under the umbrella of freedom, the freedom of the flesh. The yoke that Jesus carried is our freedom that gives reign to the flesh that he invites us to lay on his shoulder, to give it up.

Saint Paul beautifully reminds us in today’s second reading saying, “Brothers and sisters: You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you… For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” The question, then, how can we put up with the freedom of the flesh, the deeds of the body to put on the true Spirit of God to dwell in us? Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel when he says that he is meek and humble of heart. Perhaps, it is the meek and humble heart that Jesus invites us to have, so to avoid the freedom of the flesh, the meek and humble heart is to follow his Father’s will and not his own will.

Some questions help us to reflect on the Word of God in today’s readings. When we do not have a meek and humble heart, in other words, when we put ourselves up, our pride, our self-center, are we able to see the need for others such as our spouse, our siblings, our friends, our neighbors, and those whom we come into contact each day? If we cannot see the need for others in our lives, how can we see the need for God in our life, whom we cannot even see? The words of Jesus invite us in today’s Gospel, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” The yoke of Jesus is to surrender his will to his Father. What is your yoke? Jesus’ meek and humble heart is to surrender his will to follow his Father’s will. What kind of heart that you have? How can you carry his yoke and lay all your burden of life on his shoulder? Is it possible to have a meek and humble heart? Is it possible to surrender your will to God’s will? The decision is yours.

By Fr. Joseph Nguyen February 22, 2025
Jubilee 2025--Pilgrims of Hope
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen February 15, 2025
Blessed or Woe
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen February 8, 2025
At Your Command, I Will Lower the Nets
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen February 1, 2025
The Presentation of the Lord
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen January 25, 2025
Christ’s Body with Many Parts Attached
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen January 18, 2025
Do Whatever He Tells You
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen January 11, 2025
Baptism of Jesus and Our Baptism
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen January 4, 2025
Three Wisemen Responded to Three Figures
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen December 30, 2024
New Year Resolution with Mary
By Fr. Joseph Nguyen December 28, 2024
Becoming Holy Family
More Posts
Share by: