A reflection on the daily readings, for the Memorial of St. Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the church, by Father Perry.
We have all heard them addressed to ourselves as individuals, or as a group, perhaps in a classroom, or by a parent who is fed up with our behavior and is revealing what is going to be our punishment.
It goes something like this: “Who is going to be spanked and sent to bed early tonight?”
No answer is needed. We know the answer. It is more of a statement than a question.
According to one dictionary, a rhetorical question is a “question asked solely to produce an effect, or to make an assertion of affirmation or denial and not to elicit a reply.”
Here’s a good one: “Why do these things always happen to me?”
So God, once again, asks a rhetorical question.
“To whom can you liken me as an equal?”
Then, almost methodically, God answers his own question mapping out the wonders God has done as a creator of everything — noting his power and glory, speaking of his eternal existence, and reminding all how he is strength to the weak and weary.
God’s answer is really a statement of his godliness and a reminder to the believer of all that we know and believe and proclaim.
And Jesus, in his own way, often asks questions when the answers are clearly known. And often, he simply makes statements that are meant to teach and/or deepen our understanding as to who he is and what he is about and how we should follow him and learn from him. Who we are to be and what we should be about and how we are to live our lives — as followers of him.
This brief but pointed teaching lifts us out of subjugation to the law.
And in the case of the Jews, to the 613 laws or commands of God — or mitzvotas it is known in Hebrew.
There were so many “thou shalt” and “thou shalt not’s” that burdened the life of a Jew; many times those laws missed the mark because in many, if not most or even all situations, the supreme law, as Jesus would teach it in the Gospels, was the simple and profound and demanding and most satisfying and obvious law of love.
As Jesus says in this Gospel today: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
And just like any beast of burden that needed the yoke to be placed on their shoulders to force two of them to work together as pairs so that they could pull together, Jesus places a new yoke upon the hearts of his followers, upon us all.
But he promised that this yoke was not a burden but would give rest to our lives and rest to our souls; and, I think, even joy and peace — the “yoke of love,” if one could say such a thing.
St. Augustine understood this when he put it this way: “Love — then do whatever you want.”
Augustine understood that if we truly love at all times, we will choose and do the right thing.
No other law is necessary except the law of love.
Understand that, and that is all that is needed!
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
