Today's gospel has Christ encourage people to be like "little ones." This is a common, if peculiar, theme. "Unless you change and become like this little one, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." "Anyone who welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me."
In Israel, a child was a being of great desires but no rights. Simplicity, trust, meekness and vulnerability--these are the qualities of an ancient child. Christ is always placing Himself as a being of simplicity. After all, He enters the city of Jerusalem on a donkey, not a warhorse.
He then says: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
It is said this "labor" is the extreme burden of the laws of the Old Testament and the New Testament burdens are "easy" and "light," although I have always thought there was an element diminishing the physical in favor of the spiritual world.
"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
In Israel, a child was a being of great desires but no rights. Simplicity, trust, meekness and vulnerability--these are the qualities of an ancient child. Christ is always placing Himself as a being of simplicity. After all, He enters the city of Jerusalem on a donkey, not a warhorse.
He then says: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
It is said this "labor" is the extreme burden of the laws of the Old Testament and the New Testament burdens are "easy" and "light," although I have always thought there was an element diminishing the physical in favor of the spiritual world.
"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"--Wordsworth
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