Our church community isn’t the most liturgical or formal. Even though my lovely wife and I have been ordained as ministers of the Word & Sacrament for a little while now, we generally don’t often wear vestments. [An aside: I did wear a clerical collar for the first time when taking my daughter to an event at the USD campus to protest racial discrimination as part of the post-Ferguson movement.]

Yesterday, as part of our worship service, we celebrated the Eucharist together. Whenever my lovely wife and I lead communion at church, we wear stoles in recognition of the significance of this sacrament (after all, for Presbyterians, we’ve only got two!).

As I began to read the Words of Institution, one of our first graders asked why I had put on a stole. I began to explain that when farmers lead oxen, they need to use a yoke—otherwise the oxen might run roughshod over the entire farm! In the same way, I told him, the stole is a symbol that we are all yoked to Christ, that He is the Leader.

Our first grader thought about it, smiled, and said, “So… it’s sort of like a leash then?” 

Sorta, I told him, as we all laughed! However, for followers of Jesus, we willingly accept His guidance and direction in all that we do (or, at least, that’s the goal).

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Friends, may your Lenten fasts remind you that you are made for more than this world has to offer. May your capacity to love God & others expand as you make room in your hearts for more of Christ. And may you find joy in being yoked to our King.