If we stop to reflect in this time before Christmas holiday, we may answer this question with a number of concerns; concerns about how much there is to get done and so little time, struggles in our family, personal worry about a family member or friend, sadness over the loss of someone dear, concerns over health for ourselves or a loved one, yearning for reconciliation with someone we love, pleading for freedom from addiction for ourselves or another.
Jesus says, “Come to me…and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
These words are more than merely nice sentiment; they deeply challenge us. These words speak the deep truth of this Advent message of what His coming fully means.
We should take some time today to pray with what we find burdensome. Often, we will pray with the deep, personal concerns that we have mentioned already, and as we pray to God with these concerns, a deeper, “spiritual pain” can surface for us. Most often, we carry in our hearts some attitude of disbelief of the reality of the truth of the Incarnation. Sure, we know that Christ has redeemed the world, but in the midst of our very personal struggles and pains, we often subtly think that somehow, we—of ourselves—have to make it better. Often there is a deeper pain in our hearts that has taken on a false burden of needing to make something happen. We can take on too much responsibility instead of placing the responsibility on God; we can feel that, “If I don’t do it, who will?” instead of asking God to do it. We can feel that we must earn God’s love or get it right so that He will love us. We can feel that “I’m not enough” and so we always must try extra hard. We can become so good at managing our lives that we fail to be honest with ourselves and God; we can become so concerned about what others think that we fail to listen to what God wants. We take on false burdens. The voices and the attitudes are unique to each of us, but the reality is true for all of us. We believe that Jesus has come to set us free—and yet we don’t believe it completely.
“Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.” (Matthew 11:29)
Jesus’ emphasis is on gentleness and humility. He asks us to assume, as He did, the posture of a child, to come to Him with all our burdens and to place them all on Him. Ask Him if you have taken on any false burdens. Don’t try to figure it out on your own. He will reveal it to you in gentleness. Through the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation or the placing of this burden on the altar to be transformed, you and I become transformed and are freed from the heavy burden.
“Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Matthew 11:30)
THIS is the truth of the Christmas message: that Jesus has come into our deeply personal struggles and pains to relieve us, to set us free, and to bring us and those we love to fullness of Life with Him—forever! Now that’s Good News!
We are halfway through the Second Week of Advent. On Sunday we lit the second candle on the Advent wreath, the candle focused on love. For the rest of the week let’s focus on the love God has for us, the love He shares with us, and ask that that through His love, we will rest in Him and our burdens will be light.
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