The too heavy past; the lightness of Christ’s yoke; and the politeness of Church

The fact that the world has not been right cannot be solved by a changing of what has already happened – this even God cannot do. But what can happen is that those things in the past which cannot be changed – most notably those which oppress, hurt and scar – can be experienced differently in the here-and-now. For all of us, the past remains the same but the events can be interpreted and viewed differently as we, for example, are able to forgive and be forgiven, and can love and be loved by others, as we increasingly trust Christ’s liberation in our lives. As Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

So, Christ offers us a place to unburden ourselves, and, if the universal church is the human manifestation of his love and our common baptism into the one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), then it too should be a place where we let go of our frailties, pains, and human weaknesses and rest with him, in his body, in joy and in love. The problem, though, is that the church, by it often supporting a culture of politeness and social and political conformity, frequently encourages us to merely hide these burdens and not allow members to express them honestly and openly. As a result, personal issues are buried in the churchyard, before we even walk through the doors, to be dug-up and carried on our backs again when we leave. Moreover, this hiddenness further reinforces the disconnection between its members, and between the church and those outside. Many, subsequently, whether church-goers or not, engage superficially with the church – either attending only when convention tells us to – for weddings, funerals, and the like – or, if, attending more regularly, go through the motions of ‘the service’ but without properly engaging with the message and healing power of the Body of Christ. Our job then, as Christians within the church, is to allow ourselves to say and be what we are – warts and all and with all our hang-ups and questions– and cultivate the universal church as a place where we can be truthful and authentic, and so not be false and mannered. It is only within this latter context, I believe, that the love and lightness of Christ’s yoke can be fully experienced, and true rest and well-being can be found for our souls.

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