There are two kinds of leaders in the world, those who use other people to get what they want, and those who sacrifice themselves to bring prosperity to others. Jesus is the second kind of leader.
Today's First Reading expresses this beautifully. It is a prophecy describing the Messiah, God's promised Savior, Israel's great king, who will come and rescue Israel from idolatry and foreign oppression. The description presents a vivid, poetic comparison between the leadership style of this promised Messiah and that of the pagan kings who have conquered and ruled Israel for so long.
The Messiah enters Jerusalem on a donkey, an animal considered noble in ancient Palestine, but an animal ridden by judges and rabbis, by those who brought order and justice to society. This Messiah, the prophet goes on to describe, will banish chariots and horses - instruments of war used by the pagan conquerors and symbolizing oppression, injustice, and violence.
Jesus himself, in today's Gospel passage, explains his leadership style in the same way. He invites the crowds to come to him, to follow and obey him, so that he can "give them rest." He will never force us to labour and carry heavy burdens just for his own gratification, as selfish, power-hungry leaders do.
Instead, Jesus invites us to walk by his side, uniting our crosses to his cross, as if we and he were harnessed to the same yoke. Yes, we will have to work and suffer in this life, but when we do so united to Christ, it all has a purpose; it is all leading us somewhere.
And so, instead of oppressing, depressing, and frustrating our souls, bearing crosses with Christ brings us deep satisfaction and peace of mind even in the midst of life's trials.
St Genevieve the Peacemaker
This is why faithful Christians are always courageous defenders of peace, in all its forms: since Christ has established his own peace in their hearts, they are able to become peace-makers for others.
Take St Genevieve [JEN-uh-veeve], for example.
She lived in France, in the 400s. Paganism was still strong at that time, and so when her bishop allowed her to follow her vocation to become a consecrated virgin, she stirred up a storm of opposition. Calumny, slander, and abuse accompanied her on her many charitable journeys. At one point her enemies even plotted to drown her. She persevered by uniting her sufferings to Christ's - by taking his yoke upon her, she found rest for her soul.
She spent most of her time doing for others what Christ had done for her: bringing them the peace that comes from experiencing the power of God's unconditional love. For example, when Frankish warrior tribes (they were barbarians) laid siege to Paris, Genevieve risked her life by leading secret excursions out of the city at night in order to gather provisions for the starving Parisians.
When Paris eventually fell,it was Genevieve who courageously persuaded the pagan conqueror to release his prisoners and newly enslaved Christians.
Later, when Attila the Hun and his devastating army were approaching Paris, the people and city leaders panicked with fear. It was St Genevieve who rallied the populace, encouraged the Christians to pray for deliverance, and arranged for a prayer vigil in the Cathedral.
For no apparent reason, Attila changed his course and the city was spared. Six hundred years after her death, her relics were carried in procession through Paris as the city prayed for an end to an outbreak of the plague - and the plague ended. It's no wonder she is the Church's official patron saint for disasters. When we are filled with Christ, like St Genevieve, we overflow with his peace to everyone around us.
Putting on the Yoke of Humility
Christ brings peace to our souls. We have all experienced Christ's peace, at least a little bit. We have tasted the joy of his forgiveness in the sacrament of confession, the assurance that he is taking care of loved ones who have died, the consolation of knowing that he is near.
And yet, for most of us, that interior peace is not so deep and steady as we would like. The storms of life still seem to upset the ship of faith on which our hearts sail. Is there anything we can do to experience Christ's peace more steadily, securely, and deeply? "Take my yoke upon you," Jesus says, "and I will give you rest." What is that yoke? Jesus tells us, "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart."
Humility is the secret to experiencing Christ's peace.The more we grow in humility, the more Christ's peace, strength, and wisdom takes over our hearts.Like all the virtues, humility grows gradually, like a muscle if we exercise it.
Lucky for us, there are three very easy ways to exercise humility. First, prayer. Every time we pray sincerely, we acknowledge our dependence on God - an act of humility. This is why St John Vianney used to say, "God commands you to pray, but he forbids you to worry." It was his variation of the old saying, "Courage is fear that has said its prayers."
Second, speaking well of other people. Every time we observe and praise the good points of others, we loosen the shackles of arrogance and envy that bind humility. Third, obedience to God's will. Whenever we conscientiously fulfil our responsibilities in life, follow our conscience, and obey Church teaching, we are humbly reversing the arrogant rebellion of original sin.
Today, Jesus will once again prove his own humility and love by coming to us in Holy Communion. When he does, let's tell him how much we long for his peace, and ask him to lay his restful yoke of humility upon us.