2025/08/24 SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
- Christina Oropeza, Love Your Neighbor Liaison
“Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.”
-Matthew 23:1-4
Ever since I was younger, I have always loved Matthew 11:30. In that verse Jesus says, “My yoke is easy, my burden is light.” The parallel Jesus makes is that of the yoke - a heavy wooden beam that would be placed on the backs of animals to pull a load - to the burdens we carry that weigh us down in life. Jesus continues to remind us throughout Scripture that He is the rest of the weary. In the busyness of life, juggling multiple schedules and demands, isn’t that exactly what we all need?
As I read through the verses from Sunday’s Gospel, we see a different picture, one imposed on the people by the Pharisees. Jesus is warning the people to not follow their example. Note, He is not saying to get rid of the law or their teachings of it. In fact, earlier in Matthew He emphasizes this, saying: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17).” But He cautions the audience not to fall trap to their legalism. The system they created tied up “heavy burdens hard to carry” - isn’t that exactly the opposite of what Jesus has promised He has come to do?
In the end, these passages remind me that following Christ is not about being weighed down by impossible expectations, but about finding true rest in Him. While the world – and sometimes even religious structures – can heap heavy loads upon us, Jesus offers freedom, peace, and grace. His invitation is not one of striving, but of surrender, trusting that His way truly is lighter and leads us closer to the life God intends for us.