Jesus invites us to come to him with all our burdens and he promises to help us bear the load. Fr Richard reflects on today’s readings from Mass.
Readings for Thursday of week 15 of ordinary time can be found here.
Imagine that a person goes to the local garden centre to buy a large bag of compost. Unfortunately, there are no trolleys available, so the customer attempts to carry the compost to their car. However, it is far heavier than they expected, and they are unable to carry it properly. They try dragging it along the floor but even that is a struggle. Then suddenly another customer comes along and offers to help. The two each take one end of the compost bag and suddenly the task becomes much easier. They carry it successfully to the car and the customer is all set for a happy day of planting! The burden has not been totally removed but shared and so made much easier to bear.
In today’s Gospel Jesus issues an invitation to all those carrying heavy burdens, just like our friend at the garden centre. The burdens we carry are often much more significant than a bag of compost, however. They may be health concerns, financial problems, worries about families or friends, a sense of not being worthy, and much else besides. In all these situations, Jesus offers rest. He does not promise to remove the burden entirely but like with our kindly helper in the garden centre, he offers to share the burden and so make it easier to bear. But Jesus offers something else as well. He actually tells us to “shoulder my yoke”, that is to take something upon ourselves. This sounds odd, when he has just promised rest. But his yoke is not an additional burden. Instead, it is taking on a way of life, an assurance that we are loved no matter what, and that there is hope in every situation. That is a yoke to rejoice in!
In our first reading, Isaiah is acknowledging the human need of God. “At night my soul longs for you”, he says, and “Distressed, we search for you, Lord.” Isaiah is acknowledging that we cannot carry the burdens of life alone, much as we might try or think that we have to. Instead, God is always there, ready and willing to come to our aid. Let us not be too proud to long for him, to search for him, and allow him to share our burdens.
Mass today is in St Dyfrig & St Samson at 10am.
If you’d like more resources for daily prayer, check out our Day By Day pages.
South Cardiff Ministry Area 