The Yoke of Christ

We all know how difficult it can be to follow Christ. Throughout Christian history many have tried and failed, only to return to their sinful past. Many more have succeeded despite the struggle of choosing Christ over the worldly agenda. How can Christ even claim His ‘yoke’ is easy?

The Lord said to his disciples, “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.  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  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.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11.27-30

The ONLY way to experience the yoke of Christ as ‘easy’ is to consider the alternative. The yoke of the world is filled with people trying to defeat us, lord over us, control us, and even kill us. If we take just one step ‘off the path’ of the worldly elite, they abandon us. There’s no ease there.

The yoke of Christ is joined to One Who wants to save us instead of killing us. The yoke of Christ is joined to One Who desires our peace instead of anxiety. The yoke of Christ is joined to One Who loves us more than we know how to love. That’s easy compared to the world.

So, here’s our choice. We can either yoke ourselves to death, control, defeat and subjugation, or we can yoke ourselves to life, love and peace. Does that sound easy? Well, maybe not so fast. It appears easy because we try to have it both ways. We want two yokes.

Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another.  Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.  Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 5:22-26;6:1-2

The yoke of Christ ‘comes with’ the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings us the courage to ‘allow’ the world to fight against us. Consider your ‘American Dream’ way of life and think how you would feel if it was all taken away. The world wants to take it away, and the world will.

Replace the ‘American Dream’ with the ‘Christian Dream’ and we will find peace. If we have a comfortable lifestyle, may it be blessed. If the lifestyle is taken away, may it be blessed. It is much easier to watch it be taken away when it isn’t what we dream about.

Nobody can take Christ away from us when we are yoked to Him. In our baptism and chrismation, we are eternally yoked to life, love and peace, but only if that is what we desire. Being yoked to Christ is easy when we want it, but difficult if we fight against it.

If you find the yoke of Christ difficult, consider why. Do you desire the rewards of the world? Then you will be sad and defeated when the world ‘takes back’ what it gave to you in the first place. Right about now you are saying, I desire Christ, but it is still hard.

From my vantage point, that’s a good place to be. Now you can see the struggle for what it is. The struggle isn’t over comfort and prestige. The struggle is over desire. Every time we desire the world, we fight against Christ. Every time we desire Christ, we fight against the world.

There is a fight either way, but our desire for Christ is what provides ‘joy’ in the fight. This is why He gave us His Church. The ‘way of life’ of the Church is to help us find ‘joy’ in fighting the world. A life of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, the sacraments, and worship are our weapons.

Are you desiring the world? Speak with your spiritual father about what might be lacking in your ‘arsenal’ of the Church. He can help you find ‘joy’ in the fight and see the yoke of Christ as easy. It will only appear easy once you have figured out what yoke you desire.