I will praise your name forever, my king and my God. (Psalm 144)
Today’s Gospel consists of three different sayings of our Lord.
First, Jesus blesses His Father for revealing great truths to his simple and uneducated disciples, rather than to the wise and clever. He then confirms his inseparable and intimate union with his Father in which they are One, yet Other – the mystery of the Trinity.
Finally he gives his followers advice and comfort, which applies down through the ages and forever – and which we probably know by heart: “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest…”
The Lord does not promise his followers a flower-strewn path. On the contrary, the words Jesus used are labour, overburdened, yoke and burden – all signifying toil, suffering and hardship. The only promises Jesus makes are heavenly ones, rest for our souls. Then, he teaches us: to find this rest, to ease the yoke and lighten the burden is to learn from Him, our divine Lord and Master Himself, how he bore and carried his burdens.
“Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.”
Stay with us, Lord Jesus, on our journey.
