Read Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 with your family.

So often in our church the person with the most money or the person who talks the most gets all the attention. Jesus did not pay attention to those people. Instead Jesus paid attention to the vulnerable and those who were struggling. Children were very important to Jesus.

One of the images we see in this reading is of the yoke. If you’ve ever seen a wooden beam connecting two horses or oxen as they work in the field, that is a yoke. The job of the yoke is to make carrying or pulling easier because it moves the strength from your arms or legs of animals to the shoulders and back, which are stronger. People and animals could carry a lot more that way.

Jesus tells his followers that his load is lighter to carry. God is helping everyone carry their problems. They are not on their own when they deal with the problems and challenges of their lives.