14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

We hear Jesus today tell his followers to take a break: “Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you.”  Jesus never minced words about the sins of the church people of his day.  But of all their sins, the one that seemed to rankle him most of all was the fact that the religious leaders had taken away precious rest and peace from people’s lives.  The heaviest burden that ordinary people had to carry was their religion.

The religious leaders had even twisted the meaning of their most sacred day, the sabbath.  Ordinary folk were forbidden to perform even ordinary acts of charity for those in need.  The sabbath law had become so perversely interpreted that if a fly landed on your nose, you were forbidden to swoop it off.  The church leaders of Jesus’ day had robbed the people of the rest and peace that the sabbath was supposed to offer the weary.

Jesus knew that the sabbath was meant as a reminder that even when God took a day off from work, the world didn’t fall apart.  God rested on the seventh day and invited all those who were weary also to rest and know that there is more to life than work and worry, routine and restlessness.

Originally the sabbath was looked upon like the exodus itself, which freed the people and refreshed them with new life.  Like the exodus, the sabbath was the great equalizer of all, great and small, masters and servants, people and animals who were invited to the godlike activity of being at peace.

That is why Jesus fought so hard to restore this original meaning of the sabbath.  He, who was gentle and humble of heart, put it clearly: “You were not made for the sabbath, the sabbath was made for you!”  I think we need a brand-new appreciation of the sabbath in our lives.  We live in a time where new burdens rob us of the peace of God.

We live in a world filled with gadgets designed to make life easier, but we use so much time and energy with our laptops and iPods and cell phones that such a simple task as “checking in” or to say “hello” has become a burden.  Even the simple pleasures of recreation have brought new burdens: the right sneakers, the up-to-date equipment, the sure-bet putter.  People these days often return from their summer vacations more weary than before they left.

It seems that the more efficient, smart and progressive our society becomes, the more burdens we have to tote around and the less time we have for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our God.  Our gospel invites us today to cast aside those burdens that are robbing us of our peace.  Let’s begin to rest our restless hearts in God.

Rev. Paul A. Magnano

Pastor