Jesus spoke those words to his disciples before he was cruelly betrayed, forcefully arrested, falsely accused, unjustly condemned, viciously beaten and brutally crucified. After that occurred his disciples would have justifiably wondered: Is the yoke of Jesus was easy and his burden light?” If the mission of Jesus had ended with his death that would have been a reasonable question. But Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples. They recalled that he also said, “For I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest in me.”
Aware that all we have, all we are, and all we will be comes from our loving God, such humility of heart and the knowledge that we will rest in the Risen Lord makes his yoke easy and his burden light. After his Resurrection Jesus’ disciples understood what he meant. His yoke was to choose to do the will of his Father. His burden was to fulfill the mission of his human nature, regardless of the cost. Do we understand? Are we willing to accept his yoke and burden?
