Jesus the Face of the Father

In today’s gospel Jesus’ short thanksgiving prayer impressed the disciples. He thanks God for those who have received the good news. He tells us that it is only through him, we have the revelation of the Father. While the wise and the learned, the scribes and Pharisees, have rejected Jesus’ preaching and the significance of his mighty deeds, the childlike have accepted them.  Acceptance depends upon the Father’s revelation, but this is granted to those who are open to receive it and is refused to the arrogant. It is through Jesus that we begin dealing with the Father in Spirit and in truth, and share his very life.

Jesus promises that His yoke will not cause us distress and we will find “rest” in Him. On the seventh day of Creation, God “rested.” The Sabbath was a day of “rest.” The purpose of the Sabbath was for members of God’s covenant family to enter into His “rest” and to have fellowship with Him. Jesus’ invitation to “come” to Him is followed by His promise that those who come to Him and obediently “wear His yoke” (follow the teachings of Jesus “the Master”) will have “rest”/ fellowship with God the Son. To take up Jesus’ yoke is not to reject Torah; rather, it is to live by its interpretation (5:17-20). The humility of Jesus reveals to us the humility of God who never seeks to put us down or intimidate us, but instead always wants to raise us to him. It is the childlike who are privileged recipients of the Father’s revelation. Here the wise and the learned are Israel’s teachers, especially the scribes and Pharisees, while the childlike are the disciples, who have learned the meekness required to inherit the kingdom. Jesus invites the burdened to take the yoke of obedience to his word, under which they will find rest. In vs 28 Jesus says I will not relieve you of your load, but by placing my yoke on you I give you the means of carrying the load.

Prayer: Jesus thank you for inviting me as your disciple to follow and learn from you as you are the model of perfect obedience to the Father. Teach me to be like you, meek and humble. Amen