SCRIPTURE:
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
REFLECTION:
Right before this verse, Jesus has just denounced the cities that would not believe, and he gave order to what will happen next, and then praised His Father for making way for His children. We now are offered this same invitation, all who are weary and burdened.
The greatest invitation of all is given through Jesus with this promise and security to, “Come, I will give you rest.” In all of history, Jesus is the only one who has offered and who is able to take on the burdens of every man. Our Invitation is simply to come.
There is an exchange mentioned in Jesus’ words. “Take my yoke upon you”, in exchange for all that brings you weariness and burdens. We are asked to take on His yoke. Maybe His yoke is referenced in John 6:29 “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” In John 15:4, Jesus gives the call to “Abide in me.” We’re ushered to believe and to abide, and we wonder, is this His yoke? We believe, we trust, and we learn from Him – this seems easier, it seems lighter.
Who gives such an offer but our God, the One who sees the weariness of mankind, the burdens of the world, and in turn, sends a Savior to stand in so that we His children can encounter peace Himself. Jesus’ invitation for us to come to Him with all our burdens is such grace. Let’s take Him up on His offer and take hold of our God who pursues us through the life of Jesus. Let’s believe, and let’s abide. In receiving this invitation, we receive a fresher vision, a deeper clarity. We then are able to give what we are receiving.
RESPOND:
- What is Jesus asking you to bring to Him?
- Is there anything that hinders you from approaching Jesus?
- How does receiving this invitation empower you to live and love like Jesus?
PRAYER:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled
as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
— St. Francis
