Scripture
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - July 5, 2026
“Take My Yoke Upon You And Learn From Me”
This Sunday, we are reminded that Jesus comes to us not as a warrior king, wielding the might sword, but meekly and humbly “riding on the foal of an ass”, coming in peace and humility. The yoke that Jesus invites us to carry is the yoke of gentleness and humility, in contrast to the yoke and burdens of the flesh which bring us pain, sorrow, and division. It is a yoke that He helps us carry. The yoke of Jesus truly brings peace to our soul.
In our first reading (Zechariah 9:9-10), we hear a Jewish prophesy of a future time when our King would come as our savior, not as a military ruler. He comes to us meek and humble, coming in peace and banishing the instruments of war. “A just savior is He, riding . . . on the foal of an ass.”
In our Epistle reading (Romans 8:9, 11-13), St. Paul tells us that we who find rest in Jesus are not in the flesh, but live in the Spirit. Our life is not of this world but of the next. If we live in the Spirit, the Father “who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also”.
In our Gospel reading (Matthew 11:25-30),Jesus offered a prayer of Thanksgiving to His Father. Jesus is thankful for the things that have been revealed to His "little ones", His disciples. Afterward, Jesus offered His peace and His rest - for those who come to Him and share his yoke with him. In Jesus’ prayer, He revealed the mystery of the Trinity, the eternal relationship between the Son and His Father, a relationship that could never be known by us except through the Holy Spirit.
We marvel at what is known as the “paradox of the yoke”. A yoke is a wooden device used to bind two beasts of burden together to carry or pull a heavy load. It is not usually associated with the word light or easy. But taking on a yoke usually means there are two carrying the load. If the load we carry is sin, anger, desolation, or pride, then it is indeed hard and burdensome. But if the yoke is meekness, humility, gentleness, then we carry it with Jesus and it is easy because He shares most of the burden.
A message for us today might be that we who are burdened need only to come to Jesus, surrender to Him what burdens us and take rest in His gentleness and humility. It is a message for today's troubled times as well. We will find peace.
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/070526.cfm
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