TEXT: The Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew 11:25-30

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Living Word of the Father, said to his disciples, most of whom were simple men who followed him -- "Feed my lambs."  Our Lord Jesus Christ did not say to his disciples, or, St. Peter, the first Pontiff -- "Feed my giraffes!"

Many theologians, including myself, have made the simplicity of the message of Jesus a very complicated thing.  Yes, it is a deep and profound Gospel we have with many turns and deep places.  However, the Gospel that brings salvation is focused upon the Word of the Father -- Jesus -- the memoria passionis, mortis et resurrectionis Jesu Christi, (The memory of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ).

It is to this Passion, death and resurrection from the dead of Christ Jesus that we observe and remember, following him with body and soul, as we become new creations in Christ!

We follow in simplicity, because God has revealed himself in Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.

We are transformed.

We are renewed.

We are made alive in Christ.

25 At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; 26 yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.

It was the gracious will of God the Father to make these things known to babes, not the wise of this world.

Yet, why is it that we seem to "worship" at the "altar" of theologians who make it their purpose in life (it seems) to make the simplicity of the Gospel message a completely nebulous and difficult thing to understand?

The wise of this world system are barren of spiritual understanding, when we preach Jesus Christ and him crucified.  St. Paul said to the Church at Corinth, I Corinthians 2: 1-5 these words:

1 When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God,  I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
4 and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power,
5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Alas, there is much we have to learn today from St. Paul.

That is my desire, today, beloved of God!  Let us proclaim Jesus, "crucified" with the "demonstration of spirit and power," that the faith of the hears is based on the power of God, that we all might become doers of the words of God!

St. Francis de Sales has said -- "There is no artifice as good and desirable as simplicity."  (Intro. To the Devout Life, 3, 30), and,  "In everything, I love simplicity."  (Letters to Persons in Religion, I, 1)

In everything means all things, words, deeds, anything.

How simple is the Blessed Trinity, when Jesus speaks of God the Father.

27 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

The Father and the Son will send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the Comforter to abide with us that we might have koinonia with the Father and the Son.  And, how lovely is our Lady in her role with the Holy Spirit to bring us to Jesus and the Father.

We need God to reveal himself.  God is the Self-revealing God.  God moves first to reveal himself.  God became Immanuel, and dwelled in our midst, and we beheld his Glory!  (Gospel of St. John 1) Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ for the Holy Scriptures and Mother Church who identified them for us!

And, Jesus says to us in them:

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus does not call us to complicated lives so full of the worlds beguiling ways, a world that demands all of our talents to make lots and lots of money...money and more money!

That is not the ultimate goal of living.

There is something vastly and infinitely more important.  It is union with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is identification with the Cross of Jesus, the "yoke" that is that is "easy" and the "burden" that is light.

I have pondered these words, as I thought of all the sufferings of the saints, who identified with the Cross of Jesus.  I have wondered at their patience.

How is this yoke an "easy" yoke?

Is not suffering a hard thing?

St. Cyprian said -- "The difference between us and others who know not God, that in misfortune they complain and murmur, while adversity does not call us away from the truth of virtue and faith, but strengthens us by its suffering."  (On Immortality, 13, 3rd century)

Herein is the simplicity of life.

To Job, who was in suffering, Eliphaz the Temanite said -- Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward!

This does not mean that God is the author of our suffering, but, it does mean that it is here and now, and, God has partaken of it in Jesus in the Passion of the Cross, but, wait -- Jesus has died for us and Christ has risen from the dead and Christ shall come again in Glory!

That is the Hope we have... therefore, when we suffer, we know we have an answer in the pain, and we pass through it to Glory with Jesus.

St. Augustine said -- "Bodily suffering makes wicked souls miserable, but borne with fortitude it purifies souls that are good."  (De Agone Christiano, 7, 8, 4th century)

The "yoke" is easy, because God formed the "yoke" in order that the sufferings of this world should not cast us down to hell, but, that through them we might see God face to Face and know he has gone there before us and saved us from our sins!

Have faith in God.

Accept the Simplicity of the Gospel!

Follow Jesus!

John Heywood (16th century) said -- "Of sufferance cometh ease."  (Proverbs, I, 9)

Finally, St. John of the Cross said -- "The purest suffering bears and carries in its train the purest understanding."  (Spiritual Sentences and Maxims)

It is through the simplicity of this preaching of the Cross of Jesus that God extends to us the deepest thing in the whole Universe, the Gospel of God as found in the Life, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Here is the Call to Simplicity beloved.



Deus et Sanctissima.