Yoke of Interdependence on Independence Day

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:29-30, NRSV)

The simplest meaning of yoke is attachment.  A common image is the wooden beam across an animals shoulders yoking one to another.  Try to imagine if we were each attached individually to Jesus that would mean that those with shelter and the homeless would be attached to him.  The laborers and unemployed would be attached to him as would be the employers, the haves and the have-nots.  The sick would be attached; those of a different political view would be attached; even, those we call our enemies. There’d be this vast set of yokes all reaching out from Jesus at the center-a wheel with many spokes of yokes

“Learn from me,” he says.  And as he totally gave of himself, imagine that as he empties himself for the least of these, he breathes his spirit into the wheel leaving everyone to be attached to each other in his spirit. A wheel with center and spokes of yokes becomes a vast interdependent network.  Through that network, needs are met, music is heard, and the realm of God has come near.  It would be so vast that no one would fall through.

On this Independence Day weekend, may we find our greatest freedom and our greatest well-being in our interdependence upon each other, through the yoke of Christ, even those we consider our enemies.

— Rev. Mary Slenski