‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me
Macrina was the older sister of several well-known early men of faith, including Basil the Great and Greggory of Nyssa. What we know comes from writings, primarily of her brother Greggory. After her fiancé died, Marcina opened her home to serve, feed and house the poor and hungry women of her community. Eventually she founded a house of nuns, all dedicated to such service. As a dutiful older sister, she also was able to correct her younger famous brothers when needed. She’d point out their vanity, or desire for material goods.
The reading appointed for her commemoration is that familiar and comforting statement of Jesus, which ends with ‘for my yoke is heavy and my burden light’. Given all that Jesus was doing in his ministry, that’s hard to fathom, that he felt his yolk heavy.
I think it comes from his knowledge that if he’s yoked to God, like two oxen are yoked together, God will take the greater burden.
I understand this in theory. But it feels very far away. As a person of faith, my burden doesn’t feel light. I know God’s present. But my burden feels heavy.
I want to be the empathetic helper of all, taking in, and feeding people in need. And I have someone in my home who’s in need. And I sometimes am not empathetic. Sometimes it’s hard to care for the surly, angry, confused person in my house. It’s hard to feel their pain, when it appears as anger towards us. And yet, clearly they’re in pain and need help.
Today, I need to continue to actively turn over my burdens to God. To try to feel the weight lifted from that yoking. Just a little.
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