St Ignatius Parish

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time ~ 6 July 2008

Missioning MAGiS

In the early days of the development of Australia, when the land was cleared of a lot of trees, and cultivation began with sowing of wheat and the pasture of sheep, bullocks were enormously important. Bullocks would be bound together with yokes and formed a team, and together would be able to haul enormous logs out of the bush, and then haul great big heavy carts of wheat, or wool, to the port where they would be loaded onto ships and transported to England.

A yoke was made of wood, and later of leather. It fitted around the neck of the bullock, and again later of Clydesdale horses, very big animals with enormous feet, slow-moving and very strong. The thing was to tie a young animal with an older one, who knew the tricks, so that the young one could gradually learn to pull its weight and be an integral part of the team. They learned to walk in step and make the most of their combined strength.

The stole which is used at Mass and giving sacraments, is supposed be like a yoke, and is the symbol of service on behalf of Christ.

So Jesus tells us to take on yoke of Lord, the yoke of love and compassion and simple service to each other, and learn from him, as the younger bullock learns from the older one.

As part of your experiment now, we mission you to go, put on this yoke and learn to push the boundaries of convention and penetrate the walls of racism and prejudice, and learn gently to walk together knowing that we lead each other to the Lord Jesus.

And now we'll listen to this song, and bring our burdens and allow Jesus to carry them.

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You raise me up

When I am down and, oh my soul so weary

When troubles come and my heart burdened be

Then I am still and wait here in the silence

Until you come and sit awhile with me

There is no life, no life without its hunger

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly

But when you come and I am filled with wonder

Sometimes I think I glimpse eternity

You raise me up so I can stand on mountains

You raise me up to walk on stormy seas

I am strong when I am on your shoulders

You raise me up to more than I can be.