15th Week in Ord. Time, Thursday – 15th July 2021 — Gospel: Mt 11,28-30
Invitatory Commands
In this section, Jesus’ invitation summarizes three commands: Come, Take and Learn. To come to Jesus means to trust Him. The Pharisees all said “Do!” and tried to make the people follow Moses and the traditions. But true salvation is found only in the person, Jesus Christ. Biblically, to come means to believe (Acts 16,31); to receive (Jn 1,12); to eat (Jn 6,35); to drink (Jn 7,37); to look (Isa 45,22); to confess (1 Jn 4,2); to hear (Jn 5,24-25); to enter a door (Jn 10,9); to open a door (Rev 3,20); to touch the hem of His garment (Mt 9,20-21); and to accept the gift of eternal life (Rom 6,23). This invitation is open to those who are exhausted and burdened.
Take is a deeper experience. “To take a yoke” in that day means to become a disciple, which means to enter into submission to His will. When we submit to Christ, we are yoked to Him. When we take His yoke and learn, we find rest, that deeper rest of surrender and obedience. The first is “peace with God” (Rom 5,1); the second is “the peace of God” (Phil 4,6-8). The burden of doing His will is not a heavy one (Jn 5,3).
Learning is a process. As we learn more about Him, we find a deeper peace, because we trust in Him more. As we acknowledge Jesus’ Lordship in every area of our lives, He trains us in His ways. Life is simplified and unified around the person of Christ. This invitation is for all, not just the people of Israel (Mt 10,5-6).
